Kyoufuu: Raging Wind
by Sanguinarius
Summary: AU Epic In a harsher world, Naruto grew under the careful guidance of the Sandaime. However, no one lives forever, and nothing is as it seems in the land where Ninja rule, where your greatest ally is often your most cunning enemy. No pairings yet.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A/N: I got bored and got a Naruto plot bunny. This is the result.

* * *

As the sun readied itself to complete its journey over the horizon Sarutobi, The Third Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, stood motionless, his arms clasped behind his back, atop the visage of his successor, and now, he thought sadly, predecessor. His face was as lacking in emotion as his own sculpted image that was just out of sight from where he stood. Below him lie the village which he had sworn long ago to protect. Had anyone been looking they'd have seen the flicker of profound sadness entered the normally warm brown eyes of the aged shinobi as they swept over the devastation to the west of Konoha--had anyone been looking they wouldn't have blamed him. 

Mere days prior Konoha had been surrounded by towering oaks and redwoods on three sides. The village was a peninsula in an ocean of leaves. This was no longer true. Outside of the Western Gate lie nothing but the black smoking stumps and fallen trunks of the once great trees. Even now, an hour after the death of Sarutobi's successor, teams of Chunin raced among the smoldering ruins, putting out fires caused by the beast and overly excited Uchiha with the few Suiton and Doton techniques that they had been trained in. It was truly fortunate, mused Sarutobi, that his teachers, the first and second Hokage, had foreseen the danger of forest fires and required all shinobi of Chuunin rank know how to properly deal with the natural disaster. Just to the south of the massive Gate lay a massive breach in the wall. There, the Kyuubi's tails had shot out with devastating precision crushing the wall, many of the shinobi that had been atop it, and many buildings in the nearby vicinity. From there the demon had attempted to enter the village proper and had destroyed several dozen civilian homes along with the people fleeing them, before Gamabunta and the Fourth managed to force it back. It was then that the Yondaime Hokage gave his life for the village he loved.

A warm breeze, no doubt cause by the fires and carrying carried the unmistakable scents of smoke and death, ruffled the red-trimmed, white robe that was an emblem of the office he was now in possession of once more.

The Sandaime turned his head slightly to peer at the large white-haired man behind him who knelt before a small, altar. At his feet, illuminated by the nine candles that encircled the altar, lay a massive scroll. The scroll was covered almost completely in inked kanji, and it was these that held the attention Sarutobi's old student, Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin.

"Well?" the elderly Hokage inquired, turning fully to face the Seal Master.

His careful study of the script interrupted, Jiraiya rolled the scroll up with a snap that cut through the quiet of the night like a well honed kunai. Standing to his full and rather impressive height, Jiraiya regarded his old sensei with a grave look, "If I weren't so angry at the little idiot for doing this I'd be impressed. The seal is without flaw, old man. The child is not the Kyuubi. To come up with something this complex and actually have it _work_ in such a short amount of time... what a guy." Jiraiya's voice was uncharacteristically serious, though the pride in his student, the Fourth Hokage, was clear in his voice.

The Sandaime's stance relaxed a fraction, relief that he would not have the blood of an innocent babe on his hands, in addition to everything else he must do, flooded him. Stepping forward, Sarutobi's hands flashed through a few hand seals before slamming palms down into the ground. The stone around the altar rose up at the will of the chakra flowing through it and swallowed the altar, candles and all, whole. With a quick nod to his student, the two powerful ninja vanished without a trace.

* * *

Entering the administration building, otherwise known as the Hokage tower, the Sandaime looked carefully at the faces of the shinobi and kunoichi, many of them sporting bandages over wounds, that rushed about on various duties after a quick bow in his direction and a whisper of "Hokage-sama." Just that morning it had been 'Sandaime-sama.' Sarutobi grimaced at the thought before banishing it from his mind. 

There was no triumph in the eyes of his ninja at the defeat of the biggest danger that Konoha had ever encountered. The faces he saw were masks that he had become more than passingly familiar with over the coarse of his career as a ninja and a Hokage. They hid the crushing pain of loss and grief behind a facade of duty and necessity. The Sandaime knew it well – he was wearing it also.

Ascending to the office that was his once more, the Third Hokage entered and was immediately captured by the piercing sapphire eyes of the babe lying in the lap of his daughter-in-law, Amaya. Crossing the office and settling down in a seat that he found far too familiar, the Hokage gazed at the woman he had come to love as if she had been his daughter by blood. Her long black hair with hints of blue spilled over her shoulders and down her back in gentle waves, warm hazel eyes gazed somberly down at the infant in her lap. Long, sun darkened fingers idly traced the spiral seal around the child's navel, making said infant coo in delight.

Looking up, Amaya caught the gaze of her father in law and asked the one question Sarutobi was least prepared to answer.

"What will become of this child, otousama? This... jinchuriki?" her voice, though soft, was underlined with a hint steel that gave Sarutobi flashbacks of times with his strong willed late wife.

The old Hokage, shoulders slumped and head bowed in a rare showing of humanity by the veteran ninja, returned the gaze from beneath the wide brim of his hat, which he soon tossed away with a sigh. "I don't know, Amaya. There's too much that must be done before we can make a decision. Despite the time the council has demanded a meeting, the damage to our forces and the village must be assessed, and there are more patients in the hospital than we have rooms to hold them," he replied in a stern voice, it would not do at all to have a female as frightening as Amaya could be in what hair he had left over the child. Sarutobi's voice lowered, "... also, there may be a new Hokage."

Amaya's eyes widened comically, "But Hokage-sama --," she began urgently, only to be interrupted by the iron voice of the one known as the God of Shinobi.

"That is enough, ojousan. If the council deems that I am no longer fit to be Hokage then we will abide by that decision."

Amaya gave a swift nod. While not a shinobi, Amaya had been a member of the Sarutobi family long enough to understand how they operated. The council, in her opinion was full of snakes more vile than even Orochimaru. She was sure that that despicable war hawk Danzou would pursue the Hokage name and be supported by all those he could manage to bribe or threaten into doing so.

"Good. Jiraiya will be here soon. Take the child to my home for now, and I'll send Asuma to check up on you soon," the Sarutobi said with a clear air of dismissal.

Amaya understood. They were family, but he was still the leader of one of the Five Great Villages. She issued an awkward bow, due to the now sleeping child in her arms, and turned to leave. At the door, however, she paused and turned back to her father-in-law, "Naruto," she said simply.

The Hokage looked up at her, his mind having already moved on to something else, "Naruto?" he inquired, confused.

"The child, his name is Uzumaki Naruto," she was gone with that statement, and with her the jailor of the greatest of the biju.

Sandaime briefly contemplated pounding his head against the hard wood of his desk. If she'd already formed an attachment with the child, Naruto, then things could become difficult indeed.

* * *

Jiraiya grinned widely and leered as he 'accidentally' bumped into Amaya as she left the building. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and Jiraiya felt a minuscule amount of killing intent leaking from the dark haired woman. Not bad for a civilian. His grin widened as she growled under her breath, "Pervert!" and stormed away with the swaddled babe held close to her breast. How he envied the little bastard. 

Jiraiya shrugged as he continued up to the Hokage's office. Old habits die hard, and sometimes not at all, he concluded with a downright lecherous smirk as his wandering gaze found a few kunoichi he'd like to 'spar' with.

Upon reaching the office of his old sensei, Jiraiya was once again all business. He found his teacher and friend already shuffling through paperwork so new the ink had yet to completely dry. Noting the familiar grave lines creasing his sensei's face as he went over the reports, The Toad Hermit asked, "Casualty report? How bad is it?"

Locking gazes with his student, Sarutobi replied solemnly, "We lost nearly a hundred and twenty shinobi in the direct assault against the Kyuubi outside the Western Gate. In addition to that another 53 shinobi are in critical condition at the hospital. Only a third of those are expected to survive through the night. 89 more, though injured, should live, however, of those only 61 will be able to return to active duty ever again. As of now we're at slightly less than half our full strength. This is worse than it ever was during the last Great War, Jiraiya."

The self proclaimed stared impassively back at his former teacher, only his racing thoughts giving lie to his calm demeanor. This was bad. Very bad. With Konoha in such a state it would take nothing short of divine intervention to prevent another Hidden Village from taking advantage and wiping Konoha from the face of the earth. Though he is no longer an active Leaf-nin, the last thing Jiraiya wants is to see his home obliterated, so he asks his next question.

"What are you orders, Sarutobi-sensei?"

The wrinkled Hokage leaned forward, his elbows on the desk and fingers laced in front of his mouth. His eyes bore into those of his student as if measuring his worth. Jiraiya returned the stare with equal force, the strength of will that made him a legend present in his eyes, "Jiraiya, I have three tasks that only you can carry out. First, you must find Tsunade and bring her back to the Village. Her medical expertise is unsurpassed. We need her in Konoha. If she attempts to refuse inform her that I will label her as a missing-nin."

At this proclamation Jiraiya's eyes widened and his face twisted in anger. Jumping to his feet, he slammed his fists onto the desk and glared venomously at his Hokage, "Are you going senile old man? You would go so far, sensei, as to make the granddaughter of the First a missing-nin? Have you lost what little brains you have left, you old ape?"

The Sandaime returned Jiraiya's gaze evenly, unimpressed by the rant, "Have you forgotten that we are shinobi? Have you forgotten our Way? I can no longer allow Tsunade the luxury of running from her past. I'm trying to prevent a war, Jiraiya. We are vulnerable right now and need every ninja capable of holding a kunai." he replied, voice frigid.

Jiraiya was shaken by the Hokage's cold demeanor, and shaken even more so by his words. To veterans of the Great Wars the prospect of another was a terrifying thought indeed. If he could help prevent such a pointless loss of life he would, Jiraiya decided as he retook his seat. He nodded to his sensei, asking him to continue and conveying his apology for his outburst all at once.

Sarutobi returned the small nod in acknowledgment and continued, "Second, I need you to bring your information network back up to war-time standards. If another Village begins to mobilize I want to know about it before they leave the gates of their village. In addition to this I ask that you choose whichever Jounin you find most suitable and involve him in your network so that you can be freed of the duty if necessary," seeing his student nod in assent Sarutobi continued, "Finally, I need you to groom Hatake Kakashi to take over the name of Hokage within the next ten years."

Jiraiya blinked. It wasn't often that he found himself surprised, but just attempting to imagine the perpetually late fifteen year old, mask wearing Jounin as Hokage was difficult. Then again the same could have been said for the loud, obnoxious gaki he'd apprenticed previously. Well the Sharingan would certainly make training easier, and he certainly had the potential to be a powerful shinobi, with his father being nearly as powerful as Jiraiya himself. It was also true that Konoha would need a new Hokage soon. Sarutobi was far from weak, but a Kage represented the strength of a village, and his old sensei was getting on in the years.

Jiraiya came out of his musings with a grin, "Sounds simple enough for an excellent teacher such as myself! I'll have Kakashi ready to kick your ass in no time, old man," he finished, rising to his feet, "If that's everything I'd like to set out as soon as possible to find Tsunade and drag that flat-chested princess back to the village."

The Sandaime smiled as his friend and student seemed to be getting back to his old self. He turned and looked out of his office window, which gave a breathtaking view of the village, now fully enveloped by the night. Usually lights dotted the village even at this late hour, but tonight was a night of mourning for the villagers and their shinobi protectors, unless you were a Hokage, anyway he thought with a wry smile. The Yondaime had been more than a Hokage to his people though. To him he had truly been a hero, the embodiment of the Will of Fire. His mere presence inspired hope in the shinobi he commanded. He had been the Hokage in every sense of the word.

Tomorrow, he knew, there would be celebration. The pall of dread that had covered the village since word had reached of the Kyuubi's approach little over a week ago had lifted at last. The demon's approach had been slow. It frequently took side trips to demolish the smaller civilian villages that dotted Fire Country. Fortunately most of the villages had long since been evacuated to Konoha on order of the Fourth. Those too would be a large blow to the Land of Fire, for those villages produced much of the country's trade goods. However, even with those stops, the massive fox had marched inexorably towards Konoha.

But tomorrow the people of Konoha and the Land of Fire would celebrate and try to forget the homes that needed to be rebuilt and the funeral arrangements they'd have to make, most of which would be with empty coffins. The Kyuubi had not been in the habit of leaving remains.

Sarutobi turned from the window, the arrival of a member of the ANBU interrupting his contemplation of the village and it's people. Sarutobi noticed with distaste that it was one of Danzou's pet ANBU. Sarutobi quickly schooled his expression to impassiveness as the bird masked ninja stood before the him.

"Speak, Karasu."

"The Council requires your presence at this time, Sandaime-sama," the ninja said without inflection.

Sarutobi nodded, ignoring the improper form of address, "Thank you. You may leave."

The raven masked shinobi didn't move, "I was asked to accompany you, Sandaime-sama. Immediately."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. That the council would be so presumptuous in their dealings with him did not bode well at all, "Very well," he finally responded, his voice as empty of emotion as the ninja before him.

The trip to the council chamber was a short one, for ninja at least. Located in the clan district of Konoha, the council building was surrounded by sprawling compounds and large mansions. Some owned by wealthy merchants after the clans that formerly occupied them died out or moved to larger areas.

The council itself was made up of the heads of the ninja clans of Konoha, the ANBU Commander, the two advisors, or Elders, to the Hokage, and lastly the heads of the major trade guilds of Konoha. There were quite a few guilds, since the Land of Fire was rich in coals, lumber, ores, and minerals. Fire Country produced much of the world's hard metals. It was no secret that Konoha had trade agreements that procured its shinobi with the best equipment in all the Elemental Countries. It was an advantage many Hidden Villages would kill to obtain.

Entering the large building, which also doubled as a place of business deals and trades when not in use by the council, Sarutobi and the silent ANBU quickly made their way to the central chamber. The room where the council met was circular in shape, on its walls hung pictures of notable past members. His own image was situated between that of the Second and Fourth Hokage. In the center of the room was a large round table surrounded by hand crafted, almost throne-like chairs. They were garish things, in many cases inlaid with gems and upholstered with the most expensive fabrics. Of them only the chair reserved for the Hokage was without ornamentation. It was also likely the most comfortable, for which Sarutobi's old bones were grateful.

Upon entrance the cloaked Black Ops member darted into one of the many adjoining passages, and the Third Hokage found himself alone before the entirety of the council. Except one, Sarutobi amended, as he took note of the empty seat of the Commander of the Black Ops, Danzou. A chill of apprehension traveled down his spine. This wasn't looking good.

The eyes of the council bore down on him as he took his seat between Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku. They did not speak, but from the furtive looks that Sarutobi could see passing among them it was clear that they had been there for some time, which was technically illegal without notifying the Hokage. They must think him a fool, Sarutobi idly mused.

"Well," he began, drawing all attention to himself once more, "I believe we have much to discuss. Shall we get started?"

"We do have much to discuss, and yes, let us begin," a gravelly voice, soon followed by a face grizzled enough to match, called out as Danzou entered the room flanked by the Raven masked ANBU and another wearing the mask of a Chameleon. Both were equipped with ninja pouches and the katana issued to all ANBU.

Sarutobi stood quickly, "Karasu, Kamereon, I believe you know of the law against weapons in the council chamber, please remove yourselves before I am forced to escort you out," the dire threat in the old Hokage's tone was clear.

Even so, the two ANBU looked to Danzou for confirmation before disappearing. Sarutobi followed their gaze to the craggy visage of the leader of Konoha's Assassination and Information gathering division.

Sarutobi blinked, then sat back with a smug smile threatening to curl his lips. It seems Danzou hadn't escaped the Kyuubi completely unscathed. His right arm was completely missing. For a ninjutsu and taijutsu specialist like Danzou that was a career ending injury. There was no chance of him contending with Sarutobi for the Hokage title.

Danzou caught his gaze and Sarutobi saw deep anger radiating from his eyes. Curiously it didn't seem to aimed at him. His former rival took the only empty seat at the opposite end of the circular table from Sarutobi.

"Well?" he said harshly, "what are we waiting for?"

Sarutobi cleared his throat, drawing attention away from the irritable man. The Sandaime quickly and efficiently brought the council up to date with the situation of Konoha's military force. Despite seeing the devastation Kyuubi had wrought first hand, the council members had been sobered by hearing the actual numbers. The decision to up recruiting in the Academy was quickly agreed upon unanimously, especially with the influx of possible members from the destroyed villages.

Aburame Shibi then suggested an increase in the medical programs, both shinobi and civilian. This was also received with support from everyone. It was then that the Guild Heads began to argue over and debate over how much materials and funding were needed by each to rebuild Konoha and replace their damaged property and machinery. Sarutobi struggled to stay awake as they heatedly debated for nearly half an hour. Inuzuka Tsume made no such effort as she snored softly in the chair her husband had left vacant with his death five months prior.

At last the Guild Masters agreed with Fugaku that perhaps they should settle this at the next meeting. Letting out a sigh of relief, followed by a soft snort as Tsume attempted to surreptitiously wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth as she sat up.

Sarutobi stood, feeling as if he'd dodged a kunai to the head by inches, and asked, "If there's no other business...?" he inquired of the table at large. A feeling of foreboding filled him and he quickly shook it away as Danzou leaned forward and cleared his throat to call attention. Sarutobi deeply tempted to ignore the request. Nevertheless he retook his seat and stared hard at Danzou, trying to gain some clue of what he was up. Danzou was as unobliging as ever.

"I believe," he said in a soft, anger laced voice that somehow managed to sound loud in his ears, "that we have yet to discuss the demon-child."

Sarutobi felt as if an icy hand was gripping his heart. His mind was racing, that information was not supposed to be known outside of the Yondaime, Jiraiya, and himself. How had the cunning bastard found out? Sarutobi lamented the Fourth's decision to not make the information an S class secret so he could simply have Danzou locked away or executed.

Ignoring all protocol the clan heads (excepting Hiashi, Fugaku, and Shibi) and guild masters immediately began throwing questions as Danzou, Sarutobi, and each other. The two rivals ignored them, their gazes locked in a battle of wills with no clear victor.

Sarutobi stood, and hiding his reluctance explained the sealing process and how the Kyuubi had been far too powerful a being to kill, especially since it was made mostly of chakra. He told them how an orphan babe, it's mother dead in childbirth had been located and used to contain the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Finally, he told them of the Fourth's last wish, that Uzumaki Naruto be treated as a hero for jailing the force of nature that was the Nine-tails.

At the end of his tale the most influential members of Konoha were shocked into silence. The demon they'd thought dead was really inside of a child located inside the village itself!

Danzou stood then, facing across from his life long rival with a manic fire in his eyes. Even so his voice was carefully controlled, "What assurances do we have that the demon child can contain such a beast? If our strongest shinobi couldn't stop it how can this child?" His queries were met with startled looks of realization.

Sarutobi contemplated his reply, had they so little faith in their leader? "The seal is remarkably complex. I had Jiraiya check over the seal-script. There is no error in Yondaime's seal that we could locate. We are positive that the Kyuubi cannot break free, nor is it able to possess the child."

Danzou's reply was as instant and sharp as a hurled shuriken, "You admitted yourself that there could have been a mistake that neither you nor Jiraiya could find. We should execute the child to make sure that the Kyuubi is finished once and for all!" he ended with a roar, slamming his one remaining hand down on the table.

The council was in an uproar, and to Sarutobi's growing horror he saw many nodding their heads and shouting their agreement with Danzou's idea. Even his old teammates, Homura and Koharu were making their assent known. Only the unflappable Aburame and Hyuuga heads remained silent. This atrocity would not stand.

"**SILENCE!**" roared the Sandaime. The council members quieted immediately upon feeling the leaking killing intent of one of the strongest shinobi in the world, "While I am Hokage of this village we will never execute an innocent for something over which he has no control, if you all have so little faith in the Fourth then I'll just have to ensure you all don't have the chance to ruin his legacy! From this moment onward the knowledge of Uzumaki Naruto's burden is an S-Class secret. Anyone, shinobi or civilian, found speaking of this secret will be executed. Am I understood?"

An exploding note could have gone off in the room and not a single occupant would have noticed, so riveted were they by the sight of the normally placid Hokage in a towering rage. Only Koharu and Homura, his advisors and teammates had ever seen him in such a state.

"I said," the Hokage hissed, voice as frigid as a glacier, "am I understood?"

A chorus of, "Yes, Hokage-sama" came from the silent members. Sarutobi noticed Danzou didn't speak but didn't wish to start another battle with the man just then.

"Good. Now get out, this meeting is over."

* * *

Sarutobi sat in the office that was his once more, musing over the events of the previous night as he watched the sun spread its light over Konoha. After his, admittedly hasty, decision at the end of the meeting, the reinstated Sandaime Hokage had returned to his office to find several mission reports on stacked neatly on the corner of his desk as his Genin secretary, whom was nearly as old as he himself, had done since time immemorial. Sarutobi spent the majority of the night taking stock of what shinobi were available, drafting recalls of many of those who were not, such as the two teams assigned to escort the Country of Fire's Daimyo to Konoha should he come under enemy attack while the Border patrols were disabled by the Kyuubi's march, and assigning the shinobi he had to the missions that they would receive in the morning. 

Sarutobi was broken from his musings by a firm knock on the officer door. He bade them enter and the large form of his eldest son filled the doorway before promptly crossing to sit before his father. Sarutobi studied his first born, the skin below the warm brown eyes was sunken with lack of sleep, it was unusual for a Jounin shinobi to show such signs of fatigue, as most became accustomed to working on little sleep.

Unlike himself, Sarutobi Mitsuru was a large man, easily topping six and a half feet in height and near rippling with muscle, which made his brawling, grappling style of taijutsu fearsome indeed. His hair was a darkened blond, far lighter than his father's had been and his little brother's was. At the age of thirty-one he was one of Konoha's most capable and reliable Jounin. Though, for all his prowess in combat, the man was a patient and gentle husband and teacher. All of his students, including a rather eccentric taijutsu specialist, had made Chuunin in the past year.

"Dad...," he began, "you look like shit," he finished bluntly. Mitsuru never had been one for many words, but he made up for it with his complete disregard for inconsequential things like tact and sensitivity.

The Sandaime snorted inelegantly as he abandoned his seat in favor of rummaging through one of the many hidden compartments built into the walls of the office. At last he returned to his seat, taking a slow drag on the lit pipe between his teeth.

"You're hardly one to talk, by the look of you," he said, commenting on his son's haggard visage, "did that brat keep you up last night?"

The man let out a soft groan and idly rubbed his temples before replying, "If only, the kid was quiet as an ANBU, which was precisely the problem," seeing the arch in his father's right eyebrow he elaborated, "It was Amaya, she _insisted_ that it was unnatural for a newborn to be so quiet for so long. I spent the entire night convincing her that he was fine we didn't need to take Naruto to the hospital and that it was too busy to take him in anyway."

Sarutobi smirked in amusement, he knew what it meant when Amaya insisted on something, "And where is she now?"

"At the hospital," the Jounin deadpanned.

The Hokage chuckled softly, the interactions among his villagers, even his own family, never ceased to amuse him. They were almost as interesting as the Icha, Icha series. Almost. He focused on his son once more.

"So what brings you here? Surely not just to check up on your old man!" the Hokage joked. He knew his son wasn't the type to make casual visits when the village in so much turmoil.

"Well..," he began, unusually reticent, "it's about Amaya. She wants to adopt Naruto."

"I see," the Hokage had expected something like this, after seeing the two together the night before. "And your thoughts on this?" Sandaime queried, looking hard at his son.

Mitsuru's shoulders slumped, his head bowed and voice low, "Amaya, for all her intelligence, only sees a child in need. She's blind to the risks of taking the child in. Forgive me father, but I cannot put Amaya at risk. Not from the boy and not from the villagers if they discover his burden," Mitsuru finished, staring brokenly down at the desk.

Sarutobi stood and circled the desk to lay a hand on his son's shoulder. An odd picture they must have made, an elderly man offering comfort to the mountain of muscle that was his son.

"I understand, my son. Even if you had wished to take him in I would have denied your request. You are in enough danger as a Konoha shinobi and member of my family, I would not wish any additional danger on you and your wife," he said softly, "Besides, it is the job of the Hokage to accept the burdens, even if it is the scorn of the village he protects."

Mitsuru looked up at the gently smiling face his father with wonder. He couldn't conceive the strength of will that he possessed. Here was a man truly worthy of the name Hokage. Mitsuru returned the smile and straightened as his father returned to his seat.

The younger Sarutobi stood and said simply and sincerely, "Thank you, father," before turning to go inform his wife of the Hokage's decision.

At the door, however he was stopped by his father's voice, "Mitsuru." the Hokage's rough voice called softly, "Naruto will need an aunt and uncle, won't he?"

Mitsuru's smiled broadly as he left the Hokage Tower.

* * *

As Sarutobi had predicted by noon Konoha resembled nothing more that a gigantic festival. Goods from all over Fire Country were on display in impromptu, yet still gaudily bedecked stalls and tables all along the Market District and beyond. Civilian and Ninja bumped shoulders as they browsed the wares and played games that were usually reserved for Solstice festivals, but had been brought out to celebrate the death of the Demon that had nearly destroyed everything they held dear. 

Alcohol was consumed liberally as shinobi and villagers saluted the fallen soldiers and the hero that had put the Kyuubi down for good, the Fourth Hokage. Boisterous songs were composed on the spot as inebriated villagers rejoiced.

The Hokage watched it all from his office as he dispatched on duty shinobi to reestablish the border patrols. Already he had several of his more approachable shinobi and kunoichi out in the crowds implanting the seeds in the youths and parents that would increase the number of Academy applicants.

As darkness fell the party only grew in fervor. Bonfires raged at many street intersections, and bards captivated audiences with song and tale. Restaurants overflowed with customers to the point that many ran out of stock long before many of their hungry patrons were even seated. Young Genin, their D-rank missions finally complete for the day, raced through the streets, their mission savings likely to take a severe hit with no supervision.

Sarutobi smiled as his secretary departed with the last of the day's paperwork. He was more than glad that his village had a cause to be happy. With a last look outside at the rowdy village, Sarutobi retired to the couch to the side of his office. It had been a long two days.

The Sandaime Hokage was dreaming. He could here the dull roar of the Demon Fox in the distance. Hear the boom as its' tail impacted with the ground, crushing shinobi and foliage with equal disdain. As he watched, helpless, he Kyuubi devoured a young kunoichi and the tree she'd been hiding in, the beast's jaws closing with a loud slam.

"HOKAGE-SAMA!"

Sarutobi was awake in an instant, decades of battle training coming to the fore as he lunged of of the couch, tucking his shoulder beneath him, he rolled across the floor, coming up in a defensive stance on the opposite side of the room with three kunai clasped between his knuckles, all in a fraction of a second.

He spied his secretary, frozen at his display of acrobatics. Sarutobi's ear caught what sounded to be shouting and assumed that the party was still going. That is until a large brick crashed through the office window and skidded to a halt at the feet of the terrified secretary.

With the window shattered the sounds from outside were much more clear. Yells of 'Demon-brat!' and 'Kill it!' prominent among the cacophony. Sarutobi rushed to the window and peered down. Surrounding the administration building was a massive throng of villagers, all shouting angrily and pushing to get closer to the building. Some carried torches, others wielded the closest thing to a weapon they could find. Gardening tools, kitchen knives, kunai, shovels, rakes, and an assortment of other makeshift weapons were present in the throng. All would be equally effective on a babe not even a week old.

The Sandaime growled in fury and spun, pinning his secretary with a furious gaze, "Get me Hatake Kakashi! Now!"

Sarutobi whirled back and stared angrily down at the villagers. The only person in the village knew how to use propaganda to this effect, but Sarutobi already knew that it would be impossible to trace this back to the ANBU Commander, who was as cunning as the fox he harbored so much hate for.

Sarutobi's gaze swept over the rest of Konoha, his eyes, still sharp even in his old age, spotted another group of torch-bearing villagers heading towards the Clan Estates. A dread washed over him as he realized the mob's destination.

Sarutobi turned as the chakra signature of the Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi, appeared in the room. The teenager's mask was missing, his face the vision of cold fury. The tomoe of his lone Sharingan eye were spinning with his obvious agitation. The youngest ANBU captain in Konoha history was pissed. Very pissed.

"Kakashi, I have no time to take your report. You will gather as many ANBU and members of the Konoha Military Police as you can and attempt to disperse the mob surrounding the Tower. Non-lethal force is authorized with due cause. Lethal force is authorized as a last resort. Dismissed!"

Sarutobi turned, preparing to leap from the tower and intercept the mob that was intent on destroying his home, family, and the Yondaime's Legacy, only to be stopped by the voice of Kakashi.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said quickly, restrained ire in the voice of the normally laid back ninja, "There is a small contigent shinobi of Chuunin rank and below participating in the mob," his voice became sharper than the katana he wore across his back, "Rin is among them."

Sarutobi turn his head to regard the teen out of the corner of his eye, "If the ninja resist... do not hesitate, Kakashi."

With that the Hokage was gone, launching himself out of the window and flying across the rooftops to his ancestral home. The white robes of his station flapping around him as he cut through the air with chakra-enhanced bounds.

* * *

Nakamura Yuudai was a man who had lost everything. His future wife had been _eaten_ by the Kyuubi, never mind the fact that she had accepted an engagement proposal from a rival suitor, and a civilian no less, mere days before her death. His family, descendants of generations of coal merchants had long ago disowned him for choosing to become a ninja rather than carrying on the family legacy. 

In looks and character he was nondescript, with brown hair that didn't quite reach his shoulders, dull brown eyes, and a face that was neither angular nor round, but somewhere in between. According to the few females that could remember him from his brief stint in dating, ANBU had a better sense of humor and wit than he did. He wore the standard Chuunin vest and the standard dark blue shinobi pants and long sleeved shirt. His forehead protector was tied around his left bicep.

Even as a ninja he was mediocre at best, only making Chuunin because he had gotten an extremely lucky match up against a hapless rookie Mist-nin who was far out of his depth. His dreams of making a name for himself as an elite shinobi had quickly been crushed as he failed three Jounin examinations in less than a year. He seemed to have hit the height of potential squarely in the realm of unnoticeable mediocrity.

But that was all about to change, he thought with a sly grin as he lead two dozen villagers and a couple of older Genin through the deserted streets of Konoha's clan district, most, if not all, of the inhabitants of these houses would be at the Hokage tower demanding that the Hokage do what they were too cowardly to do themselves. Kill the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

This area of the Clan Estates was made up of compounds mostly abandoned by ninja families as they died out or moved to larger buildings. Most had been taken over by wealthy merchants or minor nobles who felt their own importance was elevated by rubbing elbows with the elite of Konoha's shinobi populace. He grimaced as the group passed the mansion he had once occupied as the only son of a wealthy coal factor.

Yuudai signaled for the group following him to douse their torches. They were approaching their destination. The Sarutobi clan was the smallest in Konoha, only consisting of one family line. They would not be considered a clan at all if not for the Nidaime gifting his prized student with the title. As such they did not reside in a sprawling compound like the Uchiha or the Hyuuga. The Sarutobi home was a modest mansion as far things went in this area of Konoha. Reaching three stories high and sporting only two wings, it was downright tiny compared to some of the ridiculous homes many of the nobles from the Daimyo's court. Yuudai was thankful for such, it made his job easier.

He had overhead two ANBU talking about the child at the festival. Naruto they had called him, as they talked in low tones. They had let slip that the Demon Fox turned demon boy was apparently being hidden away in the Hokage's mansion with nothing more than a civilian woman as protection, as her husband was out on a brief dispatch mission.

Yuudai was positive he had not been noticed eavesdropping. If there was one advantage his unremarkable features lent him it was the ability to not be noticed. It made him a rather good at picking up general information in enemy villages.

When word had spread of the Demon's continued existence and, subsequently, it's vulnerability in the form of a helpless child, the villagers had been quick to act, taking up their pathetic 'weapons' and marching to the Hokage tower to demand that he hand over the Fox. Yuudai, however, had other plans. He had quickly gathered a small number of the more vocal villagers and a couple of Genin and told him that he knew the location of the Demon. They had been quick to catch on, and had quickly followed him.

Now his moment of glory had arrived he thought as he and his followers quietly entered through the unlocked gate that surrounded the Sarutobi mansion. There were no lights on in the home, but that was not surprising given the late hour. On his instructions his followers spread out to surround the mansion, making sure that there would be no escape for the Demon brat. He liked the sound of that, _his _followers. That would be the least of his prizes as the champion who triumphed where even the legendary _Konoha no Kīroi Senkō_ could not. Money, women, and most importantly fame would all be his, as it should have been all along.

Yuudai himself, flanked by the two Genin, approached the front door. Never let it be said that he was a coward. The two Genin, both looking to be in their late twenties, shared grins before simultaneously delivering chakra enhanced kicks to the door, causing it to splinter from it's frame and fly inward. The two Genin rushed in immediately.

"**Katon: Karyū Endan!"**

Yuudai's eye's widened in terror as he stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and falling flat on his back. The fire consumed the Genin pair before they could even scream release screams of horror. The force of the technique consumed their bodies and lifted them off the floor, launching them back out out of door they had entered moments before. The two flaming bodies, propelled by the blast of fire, flew over the fallen Chuunin, and crashed into the grass some distance behind him with two distinct thuds. The stench of scorched flesh and hair filled the air.

Yuudai heard the terrified screams of the villagers as they were herded into the front yard by figures he couldn't quite make out through the darkness of the night. As he shakily got to his feet in a defensive crouch his attacker made himself known, and it was then that Yuudai lost control of his bowels. Before him stood one of the most feared shinobi in all of the Great Shinobi Villages. The _Kami no Shinobi_, and Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. His face was impassive make, revealing nothing, but his eyes... his eyes were more petrifying than anything Yuudai had encountered in his long career. They smoldered with barely restrained rage at anyone who would dare attempt to harm his family. That terrible gaze was locked onto Yuudai.

Yuudai could not even will his body to run as the eyes and killing intent of the strongest ninja in the village bore down on him like like a palpable shroud of awful promise. As the Hokage slowly approached Yuudai began to shake, his mouth working and lungs burning furiously to release a scream of pure terror. His legs and arm were frozen under the pressure of that dread gaze.

When the Hokage sent him into unconsciousness with a swift chop to the back of the neck, Yuudai found it a blissful release.

* * *

A little over half an hour later, Sarutobi looked on silently as members of the Konoha Military Police, only one of them an Uchiha, escorted the prisoners away. Two of his Hunter-nin had long ago taken the bodies of the two traitorous Genin away for proper disposal. The Chuunin, Nakamura Yuudai, had been taken away, still unconscious, by one Morino Ibiki. 

Kakashi had arrived shortly thereafter to report the success of his mission. Kakashi's voice was hollow as he tonelessly reported what had happened after the Hokage had left the Administration Building. The crowd had been dispersed with relative ease with judicious use of smoke bombs and flash bangs. There had been no casualties among the crowd or the ninja, however, it seemed several shinobi had managed to flee the village in the confusion. Among them, Inuzuka Rin.

The Hokage offered what solace he could to the silently grieving teen, but there was only so much he could do. To lose not only his beloved sensei but also his only teammate and friend in a matter of days had hit the boy hard. The Hokage dismissed the Sharingan user and told him to take a few days to himself. The Hokage could ill afford to not have any Jounin not taking missions every day, but sending a distraught fifteen year old on assassination missions would hardly be a good idea.

Beside the Hokage stood Amaya, watching as silently as her father in law, and in her arms, wrapped snugly in warm blankets, she held the target of tonight's attack, little Uzumaki Naruto. He was sleeping now, as newborns are wont to do, the Sandaime recalled. Even now the villagers were shooting looks full of venom at the oblivious babe. They would not venture to incite the Hokage's wrath further by opening their mouths. They didn't have to. The looks spoke volumes of the misery, fear, and animosity they held for the Kyuubi no Kitsune and they child they now saw it as. The looks filled Sarutobi with anger and sadness that his people could be so blind.

"Do you see now why I cannot allow you to keep the child, Amaya?" he asked softly, not tuning to look at her.

Amaya sighed softly, her breath misting slightly in the cool autumn air, "I understand, Father. Though I do not like it at all. The boy should be allowed to grow up like any other child. With a mother and a father to care for him," was her sad reply.

"As much as I agree with you and would like nothing more than to give this child that," he began, voice still gentle, "that child is anything but normal. He carries a burden that no man should have to bear, let alone a newborn babe, and it is my belief that the Fox is the lesser of his troubles. The villagers and many of our shinobi simply cannot understand. They need an outlet for their anger and hate, for their loss and anguish. They will not see the boy as anything other than the Demon Fox that ravaged their lands and tore apart their families," Sarutobi exhaled slowly, the pain evident in his voice.

The soft sounds of Amaya's sorrow, as she shed tears for the fate of the babe in her arms, drifted into the night as the last of the intruders were taken from the premises.

The venerable Hokage slipped an arm around the shaking shoulders of his daughter-in-law, holding her protectively as he guided her back into the house, speaking soothing words as he did so.

"Quiet, daughter. It is not all darkness for the boy. There will be people to acknowledge him, he will have a family of a sorts, though hardly a traditional one," he said with a small chuckle, "He will be trained in the shinobi arts so that he can protect himself from the villagers, and the villagers from the Kyuubi. He will be able to journey from the village and see the world and meet people that will see him for who he is. The Fourth's Legacy will be strong indeed, anything of that man can be nothing but."

Amaya nodded faintly, her tears gone with the comforting words of her husband's father, "Thank you, Otousama," she said as she gently detached herself from the old man and headed to the room she shared with Mitsuru.

Sarutobi watched her go with a sad smile before finding his own room and, without bothering to undress, collapsed his weary bones onto the bed with a sigh. He was not looking forward to the coming months. Not at all.

* * *

The following day the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha would declare to the people of his village the same law regarding Uzumaki Naruto as he had to the council two days prior. The harsh punishment was met with shock among the civilian populace. However, that quickly faded as people found ways to circumvent the spirit of the law without actually breaking it. 

In the following weeks, thoughts of the demon child in their midsts slipped into the background as more practical or gossip worthy things than a new-born child came about. The first of these was Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-hime returning permanently to the village. Neither would disclose how Jiraiya had convinced the medical genius to return to the village, not even to the Hokage. However, it was obvious to all that the two were very close friends now. There was some speculation that they were even lovers. Neither denied or confirmed this claim.

With the Slug Sennin's return many of the patients that had had career ending injuries were able to return to active duty due to the medical prowess of the Legendary Princess of Konoha. Another subject of rumor among the shinobi and civilian populaces was the falling out that seemed to have occurred between the kunoichi and her former sensei. None knew the cause, though the most popular rumor was that the Sandaime had threatened to label her as a missing-nin had she not returned.

With the return of Tsunade and Jiraiya to the active ranks the possibility of attack by a foreign village lessened dramatically. It also served to boost interest in the med-nin program and created an influx of young would-be kunoichi into the ninja Academy.

The second event was the general consensus of nearly half those now being called the 'Kyuubi Refugees' to take up residence in Konoha. With a good portion of the residential area missing this was something of a logistics nightmare. Fortunately many of those that had come in had been skilled laborers, greatly speeding the reconstruction and expansion of Konoha. The majority of the western wall and gate had been torn down and pushed outward to make way for the industrious refugees. Once the the defenses of complete many groups of workers, on the advice of Nara Shikaku, had temporarily departed to help rebuild the important resource villages that had been destroyed.

The Akimichi and Nara clans had taken care of the replanting and seeding of the barrier wood outside of the Western Gate. On any given day for an entire week it was not unusual to see a contigent of ten story tall men and women carting gigantic uprooted trees as spiky haired members of the Nara clan scurried around their feet.

The Hokage kept the ANBU busy, planting misinformation in many enemy villages, most prominently Iwa and Kumo. In a rare cooperative effort, Danzou assisted by taking it a step further. He had the ANBU turning the other villages against one another, Leaving just enough evidence to make it look authentic when Iwa patrols were slaughtered by lightning jutsu, which were extremely rare in Konoha, and excessively popular in Kumo. Though no wars broke out the efforts of the Konoha Black Ops kept their attention away from a rebuilding Hidden Leaf Village.

Before anyone had realized it a year since the Kyuubi incident had passed. Then another, and another. The council, with the approval of the Sandaime, declared October 10th a day of remembrance and celebration. Camaraderie, the subject of derision in other Hidden Villages when talking about Konoha, but valued within the Leaf, was at an all time high. Even so the Sandaime Hokage was still unpopular due to his decision regarding the Kyuubi child. So it came as a pleasant surprise to the civilian populace when the council declared that the aging Hokage would be stepping down once more, and that Tsunade would be taking the title of Hokage of the Hidden Leaf.

* * *

Sarutobi smiled as he watched a three year old Naruto careen around the large playroom in the Sarutobi Manor. His unlit pipe hung precariously from his lips, for Amaya had long ago expressly forbid him, and the now chain smoking Asuma, from bringing their cancerous vices around her nephew. Mitsuru had backed her up like the good lapdo- _husband_ he was. The former Hokage and Asuma had merely ignored them. That was until Amaya had recruited the fearsome Godaime to her cause. Sarutobi and the now 18 year old Asuma had wisely relented. 

It was nice, Sarutobi decided, to spend time relaxing with those he considered family. Across from him sat his oldest son, Matsuru. Snuggled close into his lap was his wife, who was showing the first signs of a gentle swelling in her abdomen. There would be another addition to the brood soon.

Sitting beneath the bay window with a small smile adorning her lovely face and keeping an eye on both the rambunctious youngster inside, and the sparring Hatake Kakashi and and Jiraiya just outside, was the Slug Sennin, Tsunade. His plan had worked perfectly, and the succession had gone smoothly, with not even one peep of protest from the council. She was enjoying a rare day off from her hectic job as Hokage.

Also watching the taijutsu spar, though outside so he could smoke without incurring the wrath of his sister-in-law and Tsunade, was his second son, the recently promoted Jounin, Sarutobi Asuma. He had developed a fighting style all of his own. Using his wind affinity he became a deadly close range fighter when using his custom made knuckle-blades. He also had a habit of making odd but surprisingly effective techniques, such as the Katon: Haisekishō.

As per the Hokage's request, Jiraiya had taken up Kakashi as his protege, and beneath his not-so-gentle guidance the Copy Ninja had flourished. Dropping the mask of a care-free, lazy shinobi, Kakashi, with the assistance of his new sensei, had moved on from the deaths of his friend and teacher and abandonment by Rin. As a shinobi he'd come far, his chakra capacity had increased immensely, allowing him to make better use of his large repository of techniques. He had even been convinced that it might not be a bad idea to actually bother with making a few more techniques of his own.

In Kakashi, Jiraiya had found an accomplice that could appreciate fine literature, and even assist him on his 'research' expeditions. Needless to say, Sarutobi was eagerly looking forward to the release of Icha, Icha Paradise.

And finally the child that in some way bound them all. The precocious child with the sun-kissed hair and sapphire eyes was a wellspring of youthful exuberance. The child never ceased to ask questions, and was utterly fascinated by any and everything having to do with ninja. He would often attempt to imitate the moves he witnessed his uncle Jiraiya going through with his older brother, Kakashi, only to huff in indignantly when the adults all laughed at him when he fell flat on his bum.

At this point either Tsunade or Amaya would gather him close to their chests and attempt to suffocate the boy between their considerable breasts, causing all the males present to sigh wistfully. Once Jiraiya had used the replacement technique, and instead of Naruto, Amaya found herself hugging the perverted Sannin to her breasts. Tsunade had broken all of his limbs and left him in the hospital, refusing to heal him for over two weeks.

Sarutobi smiled at the memory. He knew better than any to savor these moments while they lasted. Soon he would have to begin Naruto's training. He knew the village still harbored hate for the boy, and suspected it had only festered and grown with no outlet. Soon his family would have to disperse, going back to their many duties as shinobi of Konoha.

But for now, Sarutobi would enjoy the hard earned peace and contentment of being with his family.

* * *

A/N: Well, that was longer than I was expecting it to be. I expect future chapters will be just as long. Keep in mind this is just a prologue. There will be a time skip, as I have no desire to write about Naruto potty training. I've yet to decide if I'll show any of Naruto growing up or just skip straight to his Academy training. 

This will be an AU, obviously. To see what's different you'll just have to read. There will be some Original Characters in Konoha, as you saw with Amaya. None of them will have particularly prominent roles in the story, so don't worry about that.

As for pairings, I really don't care what you think they should be. If I decide to put any in they will be totally my decision. Sorry, no polls here.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Constructive criticism is appreciated, the more common kind of criticism is ignored.


	2. Chapter 01

Uzumaki Naruto strode silently through the pre-dawn streets of Konohagakure, kept warm by his long-sleeved dark green shirt with black patches over the elbows, and sturdy black combat trousers that billowed slightly around his calves. Around his waist was wrapped a long black sash, which fluttered along behind him. On his feet were jika-tabi, which he preferred to the rigid sandals most ninja wore.

A morning fog pervaded the cobbled byways of the great village, making them slick with moisture and lending an ethereal atmosphere to streets as they were gradually lightened by the sun that had not yet peeked over the looming shadow of the five stone faces that made up the Hokage Monument.

The cheerful melodies of songbirds chirping their morning greetings to each other began to sound as the first rays of sunlight sparkled down over the village. Soon, Naruto knew, these streets would be crawling with pedestrians as they took in all the sights, sounds, and smells that the many merchants and hawkers advertised. There would be an easy atmosphere of contentment, happiness, and camaraderie among the various neighbors, friends, and business partners that would be going about their day. It was Konoha at her most beautiful, a welcoming place, full of light and good cheer—unless your name was Uzumaki Naruto.

The jinchuriki had quickly learned to avoid places such as this, where many people congregated. Naruto refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing his emotions. The refusals of services offered so freely to even foreigners, the rejection, and cruel smirks. The eyes. They dared Naruto to protest his treatment, mocked his plight, and were full of mad, unseeing hate. In turn, Naruto's own blue orbs were filled with icy apathy and disdain.

Once, when he had still held out on his childish hope for acceptance, an old man that went by the name of Teuchi had allowed him to eat in his rather prosperous restaurant that specialized in ramen. He and his daughter had been the first outside of Naruto's psuedo-family to acknowledge the blond.

The next day a fire had not only claimed the establishment, but the lives of the man and his young daughter. The official Konoha Military Police report had blamed the conflagration on a kitchen fire. Naruto knew better, of course. Which is why, little more than a week later, Naruto found it difficult to give a damn when the Uchiha clan was brutally slaughtered by it's own prodigal son. Served the corrupt bastards right in his opinion.

Naruto was now wiser to the ways of the world, or just ridiculously overexposed and jaded if you asked the Godaime. He'd learned to avoid others, and come to relish the peace and solitude of Konoha's more quiet side. Thus, his habit of rising at five o'clock in the morning and doing his warm up exercises in the deserted training grounds the littered the village before heading to the Academy, his current destination.

Today he was a bit more alert and excited than usual, however, and with good reason. If all went well, by the end of the day he would be sporting a Konoha hitai-ate somewhere on his person. As the sun rose fully over the five stone heads of the Leaf's greatest ninja, illuminating the village that was quickly waking up, Naruto took to the rooftops and made a beeline for the Academy.

oOoOoOo

As usual, Naruto walked into the building trailing slightly behind his sensei, Iruka. Iruka was always the first Chuunin instructor to the building, and often the last to leave. Because of this he often opened the building, allowing the black and green clad blond inside.

At first Iruka had looked at Naruto with the same angry eyes as the rest of the villagers. However, over time he had become accustomed to the presence of the boy. Words were not exchanged between the two, they never were, but both recognized a kindred spirit of sorts in the other. They had not become friends, but at least Iruka hadn't tried his level best to fail him out of malice him like the previous teachers.

With a nod to one another their paths diverged: Naruto into the classroom, and Iruka to turn on the lights in the rest of the building. Naruto settled down in the seat furthest from the entrance, in a corner so no one could sneak up on him, and near the large windows if he needed to make a speedy exit. He didn't expect either, but he did live in a village full of ninja. Better safe than dead. Soon Iruka's assistant, Mizuki, entered the classroom, carrying a few clipboards and a small box, out of which he pulled a few papers, which he arranged into two stacks on the desk.

Naruto, as he always did, sat, silently observing as Mizuki, task completed, took his seat. The room gradually filled: The Aburame heir; the last (loyal) scion of the Uchiha; an assortment of would-be ninja that were too unremarkable to hold his attention; the obnoxious Inuzuka mutt and his companion, Akamaru; the oddly fierce Hyuuga heiress; yet more nondescript children; the overbearing, if somewhat cute, Yamanaka Ino and pink haired Haruno Sakura were followed only by that bum of a Nara, and his robust friend Akimichi Chouji, who took their seats as the two kunoichi hopeful began the traditional jockeying for position next to the silent, brooding Uchiha.

Naruto's first impression of the would-be ninja of Konoha's Shinobi and Kunoichi Academy was that they were loud. Very loud. That had been almost five years ago when Naruto had entered the school at the usual age of eight. The young demon container's opinion of his peers had only degenerated since. Not only were they far too noisy, the vast majority of the students only seemed interested in playing ninja, rather than serving the village as its protectors, something that had been ingrained in him since he had first learned to sense and manipulate the chakra that flowed through his body.

From his lessons with Sarutobi-sensei, he was aware that only a small percentage of the students that passed through the pristine halls of the well maintained building ever became ninja. The rest went on to work in one of the many trades that supplied or supported the shinobi protectors of the village. Some went on to serve as samurai for Fire Country's Daimyo, while others protected the smaller trade caravans that didn't require, or couldn't afford, ninja protection.

Even among those of his year, which was a veritable nest of potential with all the clan heirs in attendance, less than half would graduate to become shinobi. For the most part, the rest of his classmates were the second or third sons of wealthy merchants or nobles. Entrance into the Academy did not come cheaply. There were exceptions, of course, such as Haruno Sakura, whose father was a rather renowned, and purportedly eccentric, painter.

Naruto himself was also an exception. He'd known that he was an orphan since he could understand what the words meant. His parents were unknown, and likely to remain so due to the confusion caused by so many refugees fleeing the Demon that remained trapped inside of him. This too, he knew of, as Sarutobi-sensei had finally explained it to him two years ago on his tenth birthday. Being the intelligent child he was, he had deduced long ago that he was not the same as other children. After all, the Sandaime Hokage would not personally train just anyone. The assassination attempts had been a bit of a giveaway as well. Naruto had taken the news more or less in stride, after the old man had assured him that the Demon had no chance of escaping

These attempts had not only been directed at him, but his make-shift family as well. Nine years prior, Sarutobi Mitsuru had been tasked with a seemingly simple B-rank mission, from which he had not returned. His wife, Amaya, wracked by grief and a horribly difficult birth had passed away just a month later, leaving behind her son, Konohamaru.

After that the Sandaime had decided that the best course of action would be to separate. After well rehearsed falling outs with his remaining son, Asuma, and soon after Jiraiya and Kakashi, Sarutobi and Naruto had holed up in the Sarutobi manor by themselves. Konohamaru lived with his uncle in the village, and was cared for mostly by the Sandaime's old secretary and he had his own personal trainer in the Jounin, Ebisu.

As such, Naruto had essentially grown up on his own. The relationship he shared with the former Hokage was more of a student-teacher relationship than that of a grandfather and grandson. Sarutobi was often busy secretly advising Tsunade, going out to covertly meet with Jiraiya to hear his reports, or surreptitiously peeping at various womens' communal baths. The time he spent with Naruto were full of practical historical and economical lessons, chakra control exercises, and teaching Naruto various ninjutsu, and helping Naruto develop his own bastardized form of the Sarutobi taijutsu style that his sons had created together.

The door slamming shut effectively shut up the jabbering students and pulled Naruto away from thoughts of his messed up family. The scarred Chuunin stood front and center before the class, smiling coolly as his gaze wandered up and down the rows of ninja hopefuls, before unnecessarily calling for attention. This was the one day where every eye was on him--all the ones that were open anyway.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you're all excited," here Iruka glanced askance at an already snoozing Shikamaru, "so I'll be brief. As you should know from me telling you every day for the past month, the Genin test is broken up into four portions: Physical Conditioning, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, and Practical Knowledge. In charge of each section will be a Chuunin proctor, who will explain each test to you before you begin. If there are any questions before we start ask now."

Naruto looked on idly as the no-nonsense, brown haired Chuunin fielded a few questions. Once the students had run out of inquiries Iruka ordered the class to follow him and swiftly bound out of the open window, followed closely by Mizuki and the Genin hopefuls.

oOoOoOo

Naruto followed the chattering Genin as they darted through the trees, presumably to one of the nearby training grounds where the tests would be set up. Sure enough, after a few minutes they arrived at the spacious Training Ground 11. Landing silently behind the rest of his chattering peers, Naruto, more out of habit than anything, tuned them out as he scanned his surroundings. This was, he knew, one of the more isolated training grounds as it was reserved exclusively for use by the Academy. As such the students were more than passingly familiar with it.

Truthfully, it was nothing more than a large clearing, the ground made infertile and flat by decades of students trampling over it. Surrounding the clearing are the massive trees that gave the village its name. Between the towering plant life were several paths leading away to various places: back to the academy, the village proper, and other training grounds.

Naruto focused on his teacher as he introduced two Chuunin who would be assisting in conducting the tests. The first, Hagane Kotetsu, had medium-length, spiky black hair, a small rectangular beard. Across his nose and cheeks ran a thin strip of bandage. He stood with an easy smile, with his hands in his pockets and a laid back stance, as he surveyed the various students arrayed before him. He acknowledged them with a quick wave, his smile broadening as he noticed that several of the females in the class were staring at him, oblivious that Iruka had already moved on to the second proctor.

Kamizuki Izumo was squatting next to Kotetsu, idly sharpening a kunai on a small whetstone. His eyes, well the one that wasn't covered by long brown hair, were wandering over the students. His gaze briefly paused on Naruto, who returned it, studying the Chuunin. Izumo's hitai-ate was connected to a dark blue bandanna that covered his head. Like Kotetsu, he wore the standard Konoha vest and combat garb, though the neck of his shirt rose to cover his neck and chin.

Iruka wrapped up his introduction and announced that it was time for the test to begin. Naruto could see that some of his classmates had been getting antsy to begin. He snorted softly at their impatience. One of the first things Sarutobi-sensei had taught to him was to be patient and observe. Impatience and a lack of information often ended in a dead ninja. That these _children_ were still lacking such knowledge was appalling.

Mizuki took over, wearing a disarming smile, as he explained the first test, "Form up into four lines, make sure you have plenty of room, then begin stretching," after a couple of minutes he continued, "Okay, for the guys: seventy-five jumping jacks, push-ups, and sit ups. For the ladies," he said with a grin and a wink towards the Hyuuga heiress, "fifty of the same. You have twenty minutes to complete all of the exercises. If you happen to be unable to complete them in time you will fail this portion of the exam. Us proctors will be walking around to make sure everyone is doing the exercises properly. Any questions? Alright, Begin!"

Naruto quickly and efficiently worked through his tasks, neither rushing nor going too slowly, and finishing well before the time limit. The Inuzuka and Uchiha seemed to have raced, as both had finished ahead of him and seemed slightly winded, as they stood off to the side, watching the others. Naruto walked over into the shade of the trees on the south side of the training field, near where they entered. Once there he went through his own set of stretches, as the couple of minutes given prior were not sufficient for him. By the time he finished most of the students were done and standing by idly as the final minutes ticked down. Surprisingly enough one of the heirs, Ino, was still among the small pack of students. She seemed to be mouthing something under her breath, and Naruto trained his eyes onto her pink lips. Having long ago learned the art of lip reading, Naruto realized that she was counting, and was ignoring the directions and doing the boys' allotment, not the girls.

It was undoubtedly foolish, in Naruto's opinion, to put pride first in such a situation. Even so, Naruto felt a smidgen of respect for the pure stubbornness of the act, and she had finished before the time limit, if only by a minute. To no one's surprise, especially not the young Demon Jailor's, there were a handful of students who failed to complete the test. Naruto refrained from snorting in derision as the red-faced students joined the small throng. The Uchiha showed no such restraint, and the Inuzuka was caught short by Iruka's hard stare as he opened his mouth to taunt the failing students.

Mizuki stepped forward, drawing all eyes to him. The other three proctors leapt away into the trees to the west. The blue-haired Chuunin cleared his throat and smiled winningly at the gathered students, "Good job, everyone! All of you did well. The next portion of the exam will be held at training grounds twelve and thirteen. Twelve for the boys, thirteen for the girls. They're about ten minutes away down those two paths," Mizuki vaguely gestured to the two paths, visible to the right, "I suggest you begin," his broad smile unwavering, "because the next exam begins in five minutes."

With that, Mizuki disappeared with a quick hand sign and a swirl of leaves. Naruto didn't waste time scowling at the unoriginal exit. Instead, he took to the trees, the rest of the males hot on his heels. As he left he spotted the Hyuuga scion, followed closely by the other kunoichi hopefuls, dashing for the path that paralleled his own, separated by a thick stand of trees.

Naruto let out a grunt as he was unexpectedly knocked off course by a more feral than usual looking Kiba, Akamaru on his head, tongue lolling out. The Inuzuka sent him a sharp toothed grin as he bound from tree to tree slightly ahead of Naruto. Naruto grinned back, revealing his own longer than average canines. It was then that Akamaru gave a startled yelp, seconds before a log ran into the Inuzuka.

_Traps!_ Naruto's senses went into overdrive as he used a handspring to somersault over the log. He twirled, upside down in the air, narrowly dodging a flurry of shuriken that screamed past him and thudded against a tree trunk before falling to a ground. They'd been blunted then. Even though they could cause severe bruising, Naruto noted as he heard a startled cry, followed by what sounded to be a painful thud as someone behind him crashed into the ground.

The blond bounded from tree to tree, using his momentum to springboard from trunks and branches. Being the fastest and most acrobatic student in the class, as well as one of the smallest, Naruto dived, spun, and darted through openings in the trees most others would choose to go around or barrel through, quickly putting him ahead of the pack, which is why he was the first to encounter the Bunshins, Henge'd into masked shinobi, that flew at him from out of the trees and directed kunai and shuriken at him from three sides. Because the attackers were damping their chakra there was no telling if there could be real shinobi among them, so he had to dodge every projectile as if they were real.

Naruto quickly realized that it'd be near impossible to progress while making sure he wasn't hit, and he knew time was quickly winding down. It was this that prompted him to return fire, consequences be damned. It wasn't like they had stated that he couldn't, after all.

The Bunshin began disappearing as they were met by deadly kunai thrown expertly by the Naruto. They were soon joined by more projectiles as others caught up, and noticed what Naruto was doing. Before long the entire group landed in the massive clearing that made up the joint training areas. Naruto was grinning as he noticed that the girls had all arrived before himself and the other males. He didn't care, that had been _fun_. Apparently some of the others didn't think so.

"Hey!" Kiba's loud shout rang out obnoxiously, "How'd you _girls_," he spat the word like it was some sore of insult, "beat us here?"

"The path was probably easier for them, they're delicate! Wouldn't want to break their nails!" One of the others jeered. He was echoed by others, all trying to gain favor with the Inuzuka mutt. He wasn't an Uchiha or Hyuuga, but his clan was still large and influential.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the ass kissing. Kiba, as usual, ate it up. At least until Hinata activated her Byakugan and asked snidely if the dog user's bravado was to compensate for what was _greatly_ lacking elsewhere. Sasuke smirked, Naruto grinned, and the girls howled with laughter.

Kiba, embarrassed, growled threateningly and took a step forward, only to be halted by the arrival of the four examiners. Naruto was disappointed, he'd have enjoyed watching the cocky Inuzuka be thoroughly dismantled by the _Jūken_.

The students turned expectantly to the proctors. Naruto noted with some satisfaction that Iruka bore a shallow cut across the one already on his nose. Kotetsu stepped forward to introduce the next test.

"Okay, boys and girl! Time for the taijutsu portion of the test. This is gonna be fun! You ladies follow Izumo and Iruka here," he gestured behind him in the general direction of the other Chuunin, "over to training ground thirteen. The rest of you are with me and Mizuki right here."

Kotetsu lead them closer to the tree line, and further away from the departing females, before explaining further, "Alright, this is how we're going to do this: You all will take turns sparring my _Kage Bunshin. _You may use whatever style you wish, but no ninjutsu or genjutsu. If your style is dependent on a technique then you may use it, but ask first to make sure it's alright. You'll be evaluated by myself and Mizuki on footwork, power, and speed. Extra points if you manage to dispel my Bunshin," here he chuckled slightly, "which can be done with an incapacitating blow. The spar is over when either fighter is unable to continue, you forfeit, or ten minutes pass."

With that said, he formed a Ram seal and four replicates appeared next to Kotetsu, all wearing the same smirk as the first. They spread out around the clearing, leaving plenty of room around each of them. Across the field Naruto could see several copies of Izumo doing the same.

Mizuki began calling names off of the list in alphabetical order. The only notables in the first quad were Aburame Shino and Akimichi Chouji. Shino, robbed of the use of his Kikaichū, stuck to the basic fighting style taught to all students, he lasted three minutes before he was disabled and forced to forfeit by a foot on the back of his neck as he lay flat on the ground from a rather acrobatic leg sweep.

Chouji, under no such limitations, was using his _Bubun Baika no Jutsu _to attack and ward away the Kotetsu clone. He was too slow to hit the quick Chuunin, who himself was using the academy style, but his size allowed him to keep the black haired ninja at bay. At least until, five minutes in, the clone darted inside his guard and delivered a crushing uppercut to the rotund Akimichi's chin, knocking him flat on his back and ending the fight.

The next fights of note were Kiba and Shikamaru. Kiba swaggered up to his opponent, with Akamaru giving a bark of encouragement from the sidelines. Using his clan's _Shikyaku no Jutsu _and _Tsūga_ style, Kiba gave the clone a decent run for it's money, managing to keep on the offensive using his speed and dangerous attacks. However, on one pass, which Kiba had cockily exclaimed would end the match, the Inuzuka over extended on a dodged blow and received a devastating knee to his gut for his troubles, ending his fight in the eighth minute, as predicted.

The Nara, on the other hand, didn't even try. He put up a pittance of a fight before forfeiting two minutes in with the explanation that it was to troublesome to explain. By this time the girls had finished and joined them, just as the final two students, the Uchiha prodigy and the Demon Brat himself, were called.

Sasuke's fan club, boys and girls, immediately began cheering as the blue clad Uchiha stepped forward alongside Naruto. To Naruto's surprise, though he didn't show it, the clones disappeared with a puff of smoke. The two quietest students turned questioning gazes to Kotetsu.

Kotetsu grinned and answered the unspoken inquiries, "For some reason... I think I'm going to need fresh clones for you two." With that he performed the _Kage Bunshin_ technique and two clones popped up before the boys.

Naruto shrugged and glanced at Sasuke, who gave him an unreadable look before following the clone in front of him. Naruto followed suit, standing a short distance away from him and adopted a ready stance. The jinchuriki quickly took in his immediate surroundings, before crouching low in the beginning stance of a style he and Sautobi-sensei were in the process of creating. It was as of yet unnamed, but Naruto and his surrogate grandfather were very happy with it's development.

A breeze kicked up, causing Naruto's scarf to flutter behind him like a tail. As the brief wind died the spar began. The Kotetsu clone rushed at him, aiming a swift sidekick at Naruto's head. Naruto cartwheeled over the kick, springing from the handstand the maneuver had put him in and launched himself, spinning in a tight flip, over the shadow clone and lashing out with a strong kick at his opponent's head, but he found only air as his opponent turned to dodge. Landing low on all fours, Naruto tried to catch the replication with a sweep kick, which missed, Kotetsu's clone dancing back out of range.

Infusing his limbs with chakra, Naruto quickly launched himself at his opponent, using his smaller size and great quickness to dodge the retaliating blows, and returning his own, seemingly random blows, all of which were blocked. Dodging a roundhouse kick, Naruto performed what looked to be another cartwheel, however, instead of doing the flip, Naruto used his right hand to launch his body off of the ground, aiming a kick at the clone's chin.

The clone stumbled back to avoid the unexpected strike, and Naruto capitalized, already in the air from his missed modified Konoha Shōfū, he somersaulted, using the momentum to bring down his heel on his adversary's hastily thrown up block.

Using it's superior strength, the clone pushed Naruto back and immediately went on the offensive. Naruto was hard pressed to keep the swift, powerful blows at bay, never mind mounting an effective counterstrike. Finally an attack broke through Naruto's defenses, and the powerful kick the the gut sent him flying back, and expelling all the air in his lungs.

Naruto rose to his feet, gasping, and wiped a trickle of blood from his lips. The clone was moving much faster and more purposefully than it had against the other students. If Naruto wasn't enjoying himself so much he might be annoyed by the unfairness.

The clone stood, wary and ready several feet away. Naruto straightened and grinned fiercely at the fighter across from him and called out, "Let's kick this up a bit, shall we?"

The clone was suddenly overcome with an ominous feeling as Naruto almost disappeared from his sight. _Fast!_ Was all he had time to think before the short blond was on him, throwing wild, random, yet somehow quick and powerful punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. It was the clone that found itself on the defensive, having to tun exclusively to dodging as each hard blow he blocked ate away at his chakra store, and thus his time remaining in existence. The assault continued relentlessly, blows coming from every angle, and the damnable sash interfering with his peripheral vision.

The clone, feeling its chakra stores drying up, made a desperate gambit and threw a chakra packed punch at the boy. Naruto dodged inside, springing up and delivering a catastrophic blow the the clone's solar plexus.

The clone exploded into smoke around Naruto. Naruto looked over to see how the Uchiha heir had fared, only to realize that the other clone was no where in sight, and that the Uchiha was watching him with a superior smirk. Naruto shrugged and rejoined the restless crowd, many of whom were crowing over how unbelievably cool Sasuke had been.

"Uzumaki," Naruto turned his head, surprised that someone was talking to him, as it was rather unusual, to see that it was the reclusive Aburame that had addressed him, though the boy had not even turned to look at him, "that was an interesting fighting style."

Naruto understood that this was as close as Shino, ever polite and unobtrusive, would come to asking a question. He left it up to Naruto to answer or not. He silently studied the insect user before turning his back to the front, where the Chuunin were explaining the Ninjutsu/Genjutsu test, and debating whether or not to answer.

"It doesn't have a name," he said quietly, "and it's not yet complete, but I'd say it's coming along nicely, wouldn't you?"

Shino gave off a small snort and remained silent. It felt to Naruto as if he were smiling, or at least as close to smiling as any Aburame came. Naruto smiled too, happy at the realization that Shino didn't avoid him out of fear instilled by parents, but that he just avoided everyone in general and held no ill will towards him.

By now the sun was riding high in the sky, and Naruto estimated that it was nearing 10 o'clock. A steady, if light, breeze was rustling the leaves of the trees, causing their branches to sway and dance. Naruto knew from his lessons with sensei that, except in the forests high in the few mountains that dotted it, the Land of Fire never experienced true fall or winter. The trees surrounding the village would turn to brilliant hues of reds, golds, and oranges, and for a scant two months the country would look as if it were awash with fire. That time was still a few months off, in the dead of 'winter.' Tourists would come from all across the Elemental Countries to see the magnificent sight.

Soon the ninjutsu portion of the exam was underway, and cries of "_Bunshin!_"and "_Henge!_"filled the autumn air. Many explosions of smoke sounded as the _kawarimi _revealed logs and small boulders, and in Naruto's case, a blustering and confused Inuzuka Kiba. There was a reason Sarutobi-sensei never let him get bored: he tended to play pranks on whoever was nearby.

Once everyone had been tested, the so far quiet, Izumo stepped forward. His smile was soft as he gestured for everyone's attention.

"So, if any of you have other techniques you'd like to show for additional points, please step forward," Once the very small number of students had done so, he continued, "Anyone else? Last chance... Okay, you," he said pointing at the Nara, "Go."

And so it went, Shikamaru reluctantly performed his clan's signature and most basic jutsu, the _Kage mane_. It went on as expected, each clan heir or scion showing off the basic techniques of their clans. The Hyuuga girl even did an incomplete _Kaiten_. Sasuke, predictably, showed off by producing an assortment of fire techniques, from the Grand Fireball to the Dragon Fire. His fans, also predictably, went nuts.

Naruto rolled his eyes, though the Uchiha did have a decent technique arsenal for his age and standing. The next of note was the pink haired harlot, Haruno Sakura. She kept shooting glances at Sasuke, as if to make sure he was watching her so she could impress him—he wasn't. She smiled in his direction anyway before performing her technique: a **very** limited Nehan Shōja no Jutsu. Due to her chakra reserves being rather pathetically low, the genjutsu only affected those in a fifteen meter radius from what he could gather, and its effects were rather under par as well. It put a few of the weaker students to sleep, but most managed to avoid it since they saw it coming. Shikamaru, all too willing to sleep, also seemed to fall prey to Haruno's illusionary jutsu.

Naruto merely bit his cheek to ward off the effects, not wanting to use his other method of freeing himself from genjutsu. It'd have been... troublesome to say the least. Once the pink haired girl had canceled the technique and been forced by Iruka to wake up all those she had put to sleep, it was Naruto's turn, as he was the only one that had yet to go.

Naruto briefly pondered which technique to use before a _great_ idea hit him and he turned to assess his targets. Naruto grinned as an unsuspecting Izumo told him to begin, Sarutobi-sensei was right, it _was_ a bad idea to let him get bored.

Quickly shifting through a few hand signs Naruto quickly called out, "_Suiton: Teppōdama!_"

The large ball of water hurtled straight at the unsuspecting students. Naruto had made sure to pack the ball with as little chakra as he could and maintain the technique, he didn't want to hurt them too badly, at least not where he would be caught. As expected most of the would-be Genin froze up as the jutsu unraveled just before it crashed into them, drenching them all except for Sasuke and Shino, who had managed to step away and were observing their dripping wet classmates with a small smirk and the typical unreadable look, respectively.

Naruto was busy chugging from a medium sized water bottle he kept in his side-pouch. Using that much water from in the body left one rather thirsty. He was also keeping an eye on the others, in case they decided to retaliate. Ino and Sakura were looking particularly murderous. Naruto noted that they were rather attractive when angry... and wearing soaked clothing. Kiba actually looked amused, Naruto assumed he was grateful for the bath. Akamaru was busy shaking himself off from his perch on Kiba's head. Naruto idly wondered if he'd marked _that _territory. Shikamaru was wringing out his jacket and muttering under his breath, while Chouji stood next to him carefully checking his bag of snacks. The Hyuuga was looking back at Naruto, a small smile tugging as her lips, her jacket was waterproof, after all.

The Chuunin were all staring at him. Iruka looked annoyed, but Naruto thought he saw a glimmer of amusement in those brown eyes. Mizuki looked impressed, after all it took a lot of guts and/or stupidity to knowingly piss off a bunch of killers-in-training. Kotetsu was outright grinning, and gave him a quick thumbs up when he thought no one else would see. Izumo looked faintly amused as he walked over to Naruto.

"I'm going to assume you can do that move properly when you want to, right?" Naruto nodded and smirked at the man, "Alright, then go rejoin the others, unless you have more to show...?"

Naruto shook his head and frowned at this before sidling over near the Uchiha, hoping the proximity would keep the two glaring kunoichi from attacking him. It worked, as their gazes quickly softened lest Sasuke think they were glaring at him.

The Chuunin, after a brief discussion, led the way back to the Academy at a brisk walk. On the way Iruka explained the final test, which was simply a written test on general and practical things to know when on missions outside of Konoha.

Arriving back at the school, the two visiting Chuunin waved goodbye to the students before taking off, presumably for the Administration building. The students filed inside and retook their usual seats. Iruka handed out the test and they began. It was relatively easy, though there were a couple of answers Naruto thought he missed.

Once the test was over an hour later Iruka announced that the students were dismissed and that the Graduation ceremony and banquet would be held at the Memorial Stone near training ground seven at seven o'clock that night.

Naruto filed out of the Academy with the rest of the students, a full four hours before class usually ended. It was another eight until the Graduation Ceremony. The event was a big deal to the village. The ceremony was a chance for families to show off their up and coming children, as well as a memorial service for the fallen ninja of Konoha, thus being held at the Memorial Site. The people of the Village Hidden in the Leaves had a great respect for the dead. It was part of the village's belief system: Healthy respect for the dead, who taught the current generation, and the passing down of knowledge to the future generation, in the hopes that they'd be greater than the last. The Will of Fire.

Naruto briefly wondered if Sarutobi-sensei would make it back in time for the event. He'd left two days ago to meet some of his own contacts in River Country. The blond jinchuriki didn't know the reason, only that it was important. All the notice the former Hokage had given him was a brief note telling him that he'd be back in less than a week, and a jutsu scroll containing a new ninjutsu, _Fūton: Daitoppa._

Though Sandaime had made sure that Naruto was versed in enough basic nature manipulation to perform low level techniques of any element, Naruto's passions were for Fuuton and Raiton. They worked exceedingly well with his rather wild, high speed style. He was passable with Suiton techniques. Fire and Earth he found nearly impossible above D rank. He didn't like them much anyway.

Figuring he had time to kill, Naruto took his time heading back to the secluded manor he and his teacher resided in. He wasn't particularly eager to be alone in the place, as it didn't feel like home without his ape-faced grandfather filling the place with the pungent scent of his Grass-imported tobacco. Naruto hoped the old man was okay.

Naruto took the long way, avoiding the busier streets in favor of the less crowded domestic districts. Mothers hurriedly called their children indoors, shooting him sometimes fearful, sometimes venomous glances. Naruto ignored them, so used to it by this time that he hardly noticed.

Coming upon the house some twenty minutes later, Naruto quickly bypassed all the traps he had set up prior to departing early that morning. They were just another practical defense in case someone attempted to destroy the property when he and the Sandaime were away. He entered and made himself a quick sandwich from some left over steak, which he quickly heated. Former Hokage ate well, and so did their students. The slab of meat was rare, very rare. Naruto had a bit of a thing for meat in all its many forms. The refrigerator had enough beef, chicken, and pork in it to resemble a butcher's shop.

Naruto, sandwich in hand, made his way to the basement, which had been converted to his room for a couple of reasons: he felt more comfortable underground in the darkness, and most assassins would check the upstairs bedrooms first. There was also the easy access to the kitchen to consider.

The room was spartan at best. Rectangular in shape the room was fairly large. A large, queen-sized bed dominating the far corner, directly opposite of the stone steps he was descending. A hardwood nightstand with a small reading lamp situated atop it stood adjacent to the bed. A long rectangular window rode high on the wall across from the stairs, peeking out into the spacious backyard. The wall immediately to his right was bare, save a large poster, proudly emblazoned with the symbol of the Hidden Leaf.

The ceiling was low, only eight feet high. Covering the ceiling like a spiderweb was a massive seal. It supported the house far better than any beams could ever hope to. The walls were a dark, warm wood, beneath it ran the same structural support seals as the ceiling, though modified for vertical weight rather than horizontal. The floor, beneath a thick, shaggy, deep blue carpet, was stone. The wall to his left, running perpendicular to the stairway, was held honeycombed scroll shelves, most were empty, but that would change as Naruto gained more scrolls, either gifted to him, made by him, or stolen from the corpses of his enemies.

Anything on a body was fair game as far as most ninja were concerned. Some ninja were still confident enough in their abilities to travel with valuable technique scrolls. As of now Naruto only owned seventeen scrolls, not all of which contained techniques.

Nestled away between the far wall and the scroll cases was a door that opened into a cellar. Naruto had broken in once. Having a hangover during his teacher's brutal training quickly convinced him that the vice was not for him. He'd leave that to Tsunade-hime.

Finishing his sandwich, Naruto brushed his hands off on his pants and quickly collected the gray, unmarked scroll. Naruto didn't label any of his scrolls on the outside. No use helping any potential thieves, after all. Quickly checking to make sure that it was indeed the Fuuton technique, Naruto departed and made his was to a secluded training ground near the Clan District. It was mostly unused, since all the clan compounds had their own training grounds or elected to use different ones. Naruto had sometimes found the younger Hyuuga heir, Hanabi, training there alone. She always ignored him an he returned the favor, not exactly eager to interact with one of the haughty Byakugan users.

The large training grounds were deserted today, and Naruto quickly made his was to the southern side of the compound, which was lined with ancient, gnarled, scratched oaks. These trees had taken quite a bit of abuse over the years, though less in recent times. Naruto had added his own fair share of marks into the wood of the ancient behemoths.

On two of the trees, held up by tough cords, dangled three wooden dummies. It was here that Naruto stopped and unrolled the scroll, sitting down among the large roots and shade below one of the trees. His brilliant azure eyes quickly ran over the scroll, memorizing hand signs and suggested chakra flow.

Like most wind techniques, the faster one circulated one's chakra through their inner coils, the faster and more damaging the technique became once released through the tenketsu. It was for this reason that high level wind jutsu were extraordinarily difficult to master. If the user's chakra control could not keep the careening chakra firmly inside the coils then it could escape into the body or out of the release points, damaging not only the tenketsu with too much raw chakra, but potentially causing harm to the ninja's organs.

This is why most Wind practitioners utilized some type of external tool, such as a fan, that they could push chakra into then release it with a wave of said object. It was a shortcut, and the effects weren't as powerful as they otherwise could be, but it was definitely safer. Naturally, Naruto had shown nothing but scorn when the Sandaime had implied that he could get Naruto a genuine Suna War Fan.

Naruto snapped the roll closed and deposited it in his hip pouch as he sprung up, and moved across from the dummies. Naruto quickly ran through the hand signs a few times, letting his fingers get used to that particular pattern. **Rabbit** first, for speed, then **Rat** for control, **Horse** to combine the two, and finally **Tiger** for power.

Before learning a single technique, Naruto had learned the basic concepts and theorems of how ninjutsu, and to a lesser extent genjutsu, worked. Hand signs helped mold the chakra into the correct densities, speeds, and flows that were unique to each and every jutsu. With practice, _lots_ of practice, one could eventually learn to mold one's chakra in a familiar way and perform a technique without hand signs.

The same could be done with voicing the technique, which was simply a way to help the body release the technique when it was ready. It helped add force and will behind a jutsu, much like the shouts most taijutsu styles used when performing hard kicks and punches.

Naruto let his hands drop to his sides, taking a deep breath before flying into motion, crouching slightly as his hands came back up and raced through the seals. He could feel his chakra racing through their coils like hounds on the hunt, burning as he worked to keep his massive store in check. Jabbing his right hand forward with a shout of _"__**Fūton: Daitoppa!**_" the tenketsu in his palm flew open, the wild chakra flying out, kicking up air with it's powerful movements... and dispersing around him with a short, if rather strong, warm breeze.

Naruto blinked, "Son of a bitch," he succinctly summarized.

That that much chakra could have so little effect... He was set if Ino or Sakura ever asked him to blow dry their hair. Naruto analyzed what had happened, reviewing it in his mind's eye. He quickly came to a conclusion. He needed to funnel the chakra externally for it to be of any use, rather than just a complete waste of chakra. Unfortunately, that meant he needed to work on his chakra control.

Naruto got the distinct feeling that he had been set up for just such a realization.

"Damnit, old man! Could have just told me to practice it..."

Naruto could practically hear his teacher's smug chuckle. Naruto continues grumbling under his breath at the conveniently absent ape-faced bastard. He tended to talk to himself a lot when he was training, a side effect of being alone almost all of the time, not that he cared. He hated it when people attempted to psychoanalyze him.

A bit calmer now, Naruto proceeded to dash up the nearest tree, or more accurately, he ricocheted between two trunks, launching himself higher with each spring. He came to rest lightly on the very top of the tree, clinging with chakra and at the same time using it to redistribute his weight. Essentially he was making himself lighter, though it was a bit more complex than that in theory it was a fairly basic talent for shinobi. The view was nothing short of remarkable. Konoha and spread out below him in one direction, spanning far to the north and east, an island in a sea of trees. Naruto could make out the sounds of the village as a light buzzing as it's denizens went about their day. Closer by, Naruto could just barely make out the shapes of people as they moved about their compounds.

Despite his treatment, Naruto didn't think he'd ever be able to call another place home. For all its shortcomings, Konoha was a beautiful place. He had a precious few worth fighting for. It was enough.

Slowly, so as not to lose his balance, he began running through the basic Konoha kata taught at the Academy, as he wasn't suicidal enough to try his own style while one hundred and fifteen feet in the air. For the next two hours he ran through them, gradually speeding up each movement until he was going near full speeding. All the while pumping and maintaining the flow of chakra through his feet. The exercise was exhausting, and it was only because of his deep reserves that he was able to persevere for as long as he did. Even so his limbs were shaking with weariness when he finally made his way down to the base of the tree.

He sat down heavily amid the roots, catching his breath from the not quite controlled descent. After resting there for a few minutes he rose to his feet with a grunt and headed back to the manor, hoping he wouldn't accidentally set off a trap in his tiredness. Luckily he didn't and he dragged himself to the shower on the second floor, where he remained, letting hot water loosen his muscles, for the better part of an hour.

Feeling a bit revitalized, Naruto made himself a slightly larger meal and took it down to his room, settling down on his bed with the large plate of breads, sharp cheeses, and a large array of meats. Pulling a nonfiction novel from his nightstand, Naruto flipped through to his page. The book had been a gift from Hatake Kakashi for his twelfth birthday. It had been written by Kakashi's father, the legendary White Fang, Sakumo. It was a recounting of many of the missions he had taken during the lengthy Third Great Ninja War. The renowned shinobi had witnessed with despair as the Will of Fire had sputtered as the war dragged on. Missions became more important than lives. Konoha was becoming vicious in its dealings, more and more like those they fought.

Naruto was engrossed with the long, historical book that had never been published. He was only about halfway through, and the book was getting darker and darker. Naruto read until his eyes drooped and sleep claimed him.

oOoOoOo

Naruto awoke, his room dark, lit by the soft glow of the setting drifting in through the window. Naruto figured it was around six, so he swiftly got up and dressed. His outfit now the ceremonial black and gray rather than his usual black and green.

He slipped out of his house and swiftly headed towards the Ceremony grounds. Massive bonfires dotted the village walls, throwing flickering light and shadows on the Leaf decorations painted on them seem to dance like fire. Naruto could feel their heat on the breeze.

Naruto slipped through the shadows, avoiding adults, dressed brightly in vivid reds, golds, oranges and blues. They most were accompanied by somberly clothed, yet excited small children, bouncing and imploring their parents to hurry lest they be late!

Naruto arrived at the training ground/park behind a sea of people. Like years previous, a large, U-shaped platform had been erected around the memorial stone. Row upon row of seats sat before the stage, and ninja and civilian alike mingled as they found their seats. Large fires, though much smaller than those on the wall, ringed the entire area, casting light over the proceedings.

On the stage were three rows of tiered seats, most of them already occupied. Tsunade sat, resplendent in the robes and hat of her station, gazing down warmly at her gathering peoples. On each side, sat some of the most important ninja in the village, the Clan Heads. Looking regal and important, they made small talk among themselves. As was traditional, they wore the purest white. Behind them, in the next row sat Naruto's classmates.

Sasuke sat, directly behind the sole empty seat on the front row, a show of respect to the fallen Uchiha clan. His face was stony as he glared at the seat before him, his eyes distant. Like the rest of the clan heirs, he wore a black kimono beneath an ashen gray hakama.

Predictably, on either side of him sat Ino and Sakura, their skin showing pale in the firelight next to their dark clothing. They had dressed identically it seemed, and even wore their hair the same way, with a black ribbon holding it back from their faces. They were shooting almost concerned glances at the brooding Uchiha. Once again Naruto felt a brief pang of pity for the boy before brushing it off.

Naruto made his way up onto the stage, finding a seat on the back row, where a few more students, and Iruka were seated. He wished that he could talk to the Tsunade-hime, but they had an image to maintain. She hadn't even glanced at him as he found a seat. Naruto let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, waiting for the proceedings to begin.

He didn't have to wait long. The thundering beat of a massive drum silenced the chattering horde. Naruto watched on as the Godaime rose and stepped forward, her stately visage drawing gazes like moth to flame. She cut a remarkable figure in the pristine robes and hat. Naruto could see the awe on the faces of the civilians, to whom Tsunade, was something of a fairytale figure. The job of Hokage did not allow much intermingling with the affairs of the non-military portion of Konoha. As such it was a rare sight for those outside of the shinobi ranks. Even had she not carried the Hokage name, she was still the granddaughter of the Shodaime, who had achieved near mythological status among the populace.

Tsunade halted the drums with a raised hand. Silently, she surveyed the crowd, and they stared right back. Naruto imagined that she bore a small smile, her warm, honey-colored eyes sparkling warmly, reflecting the firelight.

"My little brother; his name was Nawaki... the day he became a Genin I gave him this necklace, as a gift" here she held up a simple chain, from which dangled a small, blue-green stone. "On that day he told me that he would become Hokage, for that was his dream. He wished only to protect the people of this village, our way of life."

She stopped, hands clasped loosely behind her back as she surveyed the crowd. Abruptly she turned to face the assembled students, her eyes held a glow that had little to do with the fires. Her gaze raked over them, pausing to stare into each of their eyes. Naruto returned her gaze, and she held it a fraction longer than she had with the others.

She continued her thought, "This was during the darkest days of the Third Great Shinobi War. Life expectancy for a Genin on the front lines was measured in mere _minutes._ They were told to escape if they could. They were only to act as couriers and not participate in the battles. No matter what."

Her eyes burned as her gaze bore down on them. Naruto absently noted that several of his peers were fidgeting nervously. He paid them no mind, his eyes were locked onto the first female Kage in any of the Great Nations.

"The next day my brother departed on his first mission as a shinobi of Konoha. The platoon he was delivering a message to was returning to Konoha with highly valuable information: positions, supply routes, patrol routes. Things that could turn the tide of the war. The four man team was ambushed by twelve Stone-nin as Nawaki arrived. Three teams consisting of Chuunin and Jounin, all out for blood. The only mercy in war is death. Nawaki, knowing that there was no hope for victory, knowing that they'd be slaughtered to a man, fought. As a ninja of Konoha he battled enemies he had no business even looking in the eyes."

Tears flowed down her cheeks now, yet her voice and gaze only grew more fierce, radiating such a wide range of emotions that it was impossible to untangle and separate them all. Naruto was positive he heard pride, however.

"He fought side by side, back to back with his comrades, fellow ninja... and complete strangers. He fought. And he died," she was forced to pause as she was visibly flooded with emotion, but she went on. "To a man, the Stone-nin were killed. All of our ninja save one badly wounded Chuunin. As is our custom, he burned the bodies of his teammates. Nawaki, he brought home, along with information that helped us defeat Tsuchigakure after years of bloody, senseless war."

Somehow Tsunade's soft voice was reaching there very back rows, for not a sound was made save the crackling and popping of burning wood. Every soul in attendance was hanging on her every word.

"My brother broke the rules, and he paid the ultimate price. Some would consider him to be the worst type of shinobi. However, he stood by his comrades when he was needed. He didn't run away, he wouldn't run away. To abandon fellow Leaf ninja was simply not something he could do," Her voice rose, commanding as her clear alto voice sounded out. "**That** is the Will of Fire that will never die as long as a single leaf remains on the great tree of this village! We do not abandon one another. We protect that which is precious to us. Therein lies true strength. The names on this stone," she gestured to the large slab of obsidian that had names of the fallen chiseled into it, "they are our lovers, our fathers, our mothers, our brothers and sisters. They are heroes, every one."

Tsunade's eyes swept over the entire assemblage, abruptly her posture loosened, the fire in her eyes put on the back burner.

"Inside of each and everyone of you, shinobi or civilian; adult or child, the fire burns. Protect what you love with everything you have, and no obstacle will withstand your might."

For what seemed to be the first time that night, Tsunade blinked, and the crowd erupted into raucous cheers for their Hokage. Naruto admitted to himself that he too had been swept up by the powerful story. He quickly shook it off, though a warm feeling remained with him. Probably just the fires burning all over the place.

As Tsunade sat, Hyuuga Hiashi stood and addressed the crowd at large, asking first if there were any heir announcements. There were several, but only among the merchant clans. The same went for wedding contracts. It was not uncommon for pompous merchants or clan heads to announce such things to the general populace, who naturally ate it up and would regurgitate it back up at every opportunity like a deranged mother bird.

At last Hiashi took his seat, done recognizing the agreements on behalf of the council. Iruka made his way forward next and gave the exact same speech about how proud he was off all the students, whether they'd passed or not, that he'd given the year before. He reminded everyone that those who failed could enroll and test again up to three times.

By now the sun had sunk, and, save the distant watch fires, everything outside the ring surrounding the ceremony was enveloped in darkness. Eager faces glowed in the darkness, light reflecting off of brightly colored clothing.

Then he gestured to the side, and two teenage Genin carefully walked onto the stage, bearing between them a table covered with a shimmering red cloth. They set it before Iruka, who nodded at them, before disappearing back to wherever they'd come from. Iruka swept the cloth away, revealing over two dozen hitai-ate. The forehead protectors were burnished, and they gleamed red. Along with their forehead protectors they were to receive a brilliant red and orange sash. A representation of their adulthood in the eyes of the village. From now on they would wear the colors of flame at festivals, rather than the ashen colors of youths.

Iruka pulled a relatively large scroll from his hip pouch and unfurled it, and began calling out names. Each name was met with cheers, some louder than others, such as the Hyuuga. Naturally the Uchiha's name was met thunderous applause. Naruto rolled his eyes as the crowd went silent when his own name was called the crowd went silent. Children were quickly shushed, and many looked on pensively, deep frowns marring their faces.

As he was wont to do, Naruto ignored the villagers and their oppressive silence as he tied the hitai-ate around his head, and made his way back to his seat. He thought he felt Tsunade's gaze, but he refused to meet it. He didn't want to see pity in those eyes.

Iruka rolled the scroll close with a snap, announcing that the new Genin had all been called. The girl next to Naruto immediately burst into noisy sobs, hunching over as her body over her knees as she shook. Naruto rolled his eyes at the overdone display. The crowd was filled with people either cheering or shouting in protest that their children weren't selected. Naruto, for some unfathomable reason, had a feeling that his becoming a Genin was not met with much joy. It may have had something to do with all the glares being sent in his direction. There was really no telling.

The crowd quieted when Iruka removed a daisho, a matched katana and wakizashi, from beneath the table. They were ornate without being useless in combat, with a simple black sheathe and hilt, both adorned with the symbol of the Leaf and the kanji for fire. Iruka drew the katana with practiced ease and examined the blade, allowing the crowd to do so as well.

As always it was a masterpiece blade. Master Blacksmiths all over Fire Country clamored to be allowed to craft the blades every year. Having the geniuses of Konoha wear your blades was an unequaled form of advertisement, though some never bothered to use the weapons.

Iruka smoothly resheathed the blade, and set them both on the table. He turned to smile at the eager faces of the crowd.

"This year we had many, many exceptional students, and it was an honor to teach them, and watch them grow into shinobi. The competition for Rookie of the Year was as close as I'd ever witnessed, with two students in particular showing skill far beyond their level. Unfortunately we can only award one student, and this year the prize goes to Uchiha Sasuke."

Though they'd no doubt expected it, the crowds erupted into applause. Sasuke, traditional smirk firmly in place, rose to accept the two weapons. Iruka nodded to Sasuke and they both returned to their seats. Tsunade stood once more and turned to address the new Genin.

"Tomorrow morning those of you who passed," fresh sobs burst anew from the pathetic girl, "will meet at the Academy at 0700. There you will be assigned to four man squads consisting of three Genin and one Jounin. Until that time you are dismissed. Congratulations," she finished, smiling warmly at them.

With that the festivities began. Everyone filed back into the village where they would party and celebrate well into the night. People would drink to their fallen heroes and to heroes yet to come. Food and games would be prolific. Chuunin would patrol the alleyways to make sure nothing got out of hand, while ANBU took over the wall patrols.

Sakura and Ino had immediately latched onto the arms of the new Rookie of the Year, who, if his expression was anything to go by, was considering trying out his new blades. He was almost dragged after into the village. Naruto snorted as his gaze wandered over the dispersing crowd. Already bawdy songs and jokes were flying through the crowd. He knew those same voices could just as easily curse his very existence and, if drunken enough, attempt to end it.

"Naruto-san," a soft, yet commanding voice came from his right.

Naruto turned to see the Godaime Hokage standing at his side. He hadn't even sensed her arrival, yet he knew she hadn't attempted to mask it from him. She was just that good, or he was that distracted. A worrying thought. She'd removed her hat, and Naruto noticed that her hair was not bound in the usual two pony-tails. It was also longer than he remembered. Then, it had been several years since he'd been this close to the gorgeous woman.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" He replied, his voice stiff and formal. He missed the close, almost familial relationship they'd had before. He loathed that the villagers and council could even take that from him. He knew it was necessary, for the safety of everyone. He couldn't help the bitter taste of resentment that came along with it.

Tsunade did not face him, her eyes were scanning the crowd just as his were. Her hands were enveloped in the long sleeves of the robe. She'd long ago dropped the permanent Henge she'd hidden behind. She was no less beautiful for it. She had aged well, only the barest of wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her hair was somewhat more pale, though her skin had darkened to a more olive hue. Naruto tried not to notice that other attributes were just as perfect as ever. He failed. Fucking puberty.

"You held back at the exams. I know Sensei has taught you enough to be able to defeat the Uchiha, especially since he has yet to awaken his Bloodline," the question was there, though she'd phrased it as a question.

Her voice lacked emotion, Naruto wondered if it was because she was unsure where they stood with one another now. Naruto sure as hell was. Even false enmity could create a very real distance. Naruto tried to get a feel for her out of the corner of his eye. He face was as expressionless as her words had been.

"Hokage-sama, we are ninja. Our trade is deception, information is both our greatest ally and worst enemy. It would be foolish to flaunt my abilities when my file can be accessed easily by many people who are not fond of me or my bad habit of breathing."

Tsunade nodded at his response, "That is sound reasoning, Naruto. If only your peers possessed a similar maturity and ability of forethought. Though..." she paused, turning to him fully. "the price of such was far too high."

Naruto frowned at her words, not meeting her gaze. He did not respond, there was nothing he could say to that, after all. Tsunade allowed a small smile curve her lips.

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing a bit more of each other from now on... Naruto-kun."

She left with those parting words, headed back to the Hokage tower. Naruto watched her go, wondering if the change from student to full-fledged shinobi was quite as dramatic as it was starting to seem.

Not wanting, or, more accurately, not able to participate in the oncoming festival, Naruto returned to the manor to call it an early night. He had a feeling he'd need his rest.

oOoOoOo

Chapter one, down. Took a bit longer than I expected to finish it. Still feels a bit choppy to me, but I'm shaking the rust off. The pace should be picking up, meaning each story won't span a single day, though that's an interesting short-story idea. Groundhog Day, make Naruto relive the Sasuke retrieval arc a few times. Would be amusing.

It's come to my attention that I could use a Beta. So if anyone wants the job feel free to say so. Now that Finals are gone I may have more time to update, I'll try to make a writing schedule. Anyway, feel free to leave me your responses.


	3. Chapter 02

A/N: I feel the need to apologize for the last two installments. The first was choppy in writing style, and the second a bit unprofessional with the lack of A/N and using 'oOoOoOo' as a separator. That bugs me in other stories, so don't expect to see them again.

If you're like me you're ignoring all this and skipping to the chapter. I don't blame you.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**You're a Crazy Bitch...**

As was his habit, Naruto awoke to a room pitched in inky black darkness. Faint starlight allowed his eyes to make out vague shapes in the room but little more than that. Naruto knew his way around well enough that the darkness didn't bother him.

Slipping silently out of bed, the newly instated Konoha Genin took a moment to let his azure orbs adjust to the lack of light. The ceiling light in Naruto's room had not played host to a light bulb in many years. The switch no longer worked. Well it did, but instead of an electric current it sent a chakra spark that activated a seal that would hopefully keep the trespasser locked in it's paralyzing flows. Most Jounin could escape it. Naruto reasoned that if any ninja of that caliber made it as far as his room while he was sleeping then he was as good as dead anyway.

Naruto had a fondness for the sheer versatility of seals, and he had taken to studying them as a hobby. He'd helped draw that particular seal, though his sensei had done the majority of the work. It was rather low level as far as seals go. It had to be to prevent it from interfering with the other seals placed throughout the basement that were necessary for the manor to stand.

Briefly wondering if his Jounin sensei would know any seal-work, Naruto shrugged and slid open a drawer that was hidden, seamlessly, in the frame of his bed. He withdrew his green and black gear and quickly donned them. From atop his nightstand he collected his new hitai-ate, and stuffed it unceremoniously into his pocket.

The young blond checked his window, noting the position of the stars, before heading upstairs to the kitchen. He nodded to himself in satisfaction; he was becoming better at waking up at a time of his choosing. Being able to regulate one's biological clock was a valuable skill for any shinobi. So was being used to working in the dark.

Grabbing a pear from the small store of fruits that he kept, he crunched down on it, holding it in his mouth and savoring it's tart juices. The jinchuriki stepped out into the backyard and inhaled slowly, taking in the crisp night air. That done, he headed to the rather large, brick workshop he and Sarutobi-sensei used, mostly for equipment maintenance. He flicked on the lights as he shut the door behind him.

The inside of the workshop was filled with seemingly random craftsman tools. From a large electric sewing machine to an ancient foot powered whetstone. Long shelves and racks ran along every wall, all groaning beneath the weight of various weapons, tools, scrolls, and a single fluffy plush gorilla. Sarutobi had growled out that he didn't want to know about that last one. Naruto had wisely kept his peace, though his glittering eyes bespoke of barely restrained teasing.

Naruto dropped the forehead protector on a low wooden table and headed to the back of the small building, where he selected a large span of black cloth and, using a kunai, cut the desired length away. He then rummaged around the shelves until he'd located a needle and a roll of black string.

He effortlessly cut the metal plate away from the blue cloth of his hitai-ate with a tightly gripped shuriken. All of his weapons were sharp enough to cut through skin with even a casual touch. He took care of them well. Then his hands blurred into motion as he quickly attached the metal plate to the longer, thicker black cloth.

That done, he wrapped his new, and his opinion improved, hitai-ate around his forehead. Naruto quickly tossed the tools on a random shelf and departed for the training grounds to practice his chakra control once again. One's chakra control was dependent on the shinobi's total amount of chakra. As that amount grew with training control tended to decrease. For Naruto, this meant that he had to do chakra control exercises that did not increase his stamina much. At this point his reserves were large enough that simple exercises did not do a thing to increase them. He needed to completely wear himself out to make any significant gains in that department.

This was fortunate, as it meant that his chakra control could grow far faster than his reserves could for the time being. This was also unfortunate, as the massive amount of chakra he held led to chakra control being difficult to master. The two effects more or less canceled each other out, leaving the Demon Jailor with average chakra control for his level of abilities.

Naruto could safely assume that among his peers he was second only to Hyuuga Hinata and perhaps Haruno Sakura. But the fan girl's reserves were nigh unto nonexistent, so it was irrelevant. As for the Uchiha, fire techniques, as a rule, did not generally need much control. They were all about momentum and building on the oxygen present in the air. They could be aimed, and that was pretty much all that was necessary for the technique to work.

Naruto arrived at the deserted training grounds and quickly dropped into a lotus position atop a training post. He made sure he was facing east, so that the sun would warn him of the time if his internal clock failed, and began to meditate.

It took him nearly forty-five minutes to clear his mind. Even he could admit that he sucked at meditating. Once he had achieved 'inner tranquility,' as Sarutobi-sensei was fond of saying, he began playing with his chakra circulatory system. Practicing speeding it up and slowing it down. He practiced sending chakra from his reserves to different areas of his body simultaneously. The further apart the areas were the more difficult it was, as the chakra pathways differed. If it were both hands or both feet it would be easy, as the coils running through each mirrored one another. Sending chakra to his nose and chakra to his knee at the same time was an entirely different matter.

It was the difficulty of such acts that made the Hyuuga Kaiten so extraordinary. To send chakra from that many points simultaneously while moving was simply not in the realms of possibility for anyone without Hyuuga blood. They were masters of internal manipulation. The only thing that came close to simulating it was the monstrous strength of the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade. Naruto didn't know quite how it worked, but Tsunade had told him years prior that she'd gotten the idea from watching the Hyuuga Clan.

For over an hour Naruto worked, bending and molding his chakra to his will. Before long he got lost in the ebb and flow of his own life energies, so much so that he lost track of time. A sudden brightening on the other side of his eyelids broke his concentration, and he turned his attention outward. The sun had decided to stop playing peek-a-boo with the Hokage Monument and was rising to its high throne in the heavens. Naruto thought his mind was far too poetic at times.

The short blond stood and stretched out his cramped limbs. That done, he left for the Academy at a sedate pace. He had time aplenty before the new Genin were to assemble. Naruto briefly wondered who would be on his team, but rationalized that speculation was pointless since he'd find out soon anyway.

The jinchuriki made his way through the streets. Konoha was a huge village, one of the largest in the Elemental Nations. Unfortunately the original builders of the ninja village had no concept of a little thing called urban planning. With the exception of the bigger markets and some of the newer housing districts Konoha had no rhyme or reason whatsoever to the layout of it's streets and buildings. The village was a veritable maze of curves, loops and dead ends. It was an excellent way to confuse large attacking forces, but it also helped spies and assassins hide and escape. In a world of ninja it was far more likely that your drink would be poisoned than someone openly challenging you to a duel.

So moving from one side of the Village Hidden in the Leaves to the other on foot could take a substantial amount of time. By the time Naruto arrived at the classroom it was just ten minutes until seven. Naruto liked to arrive early, though not out of any sense of punctuality or respect. It gave him the opportunity to scope out an area, set up traps, and all kinds of fun stuff. Essentially it gave him home field advantage in case anyone tried to attack him when they thought he'd be unprepared. He wasn't paranoid. Really.

For once Naruto wasn't the first one occupying a seat in the large classroom. Hell, he wasn't even the second. Every member of the graduating class had decided to show up early. Even the perpetually indolent Nara had arrived before him. Naruto's late arrival had the unfortunate effect of drawing the attention of some two dozen pairs of eyes. He took solace in the fact that at least Iruka wasn't there yet.

The blond tried not to scowl. He didn't much care for the sudden attention, as they'd done their best to ignore him for the past four years. He took a seat in the third row, across from the Uchiha and his fans. Then the moment passed and the low background noise of multiple conversations happening at once began. There was an almost palpable air of excitement and anticipation over the newly fledged Genin. Even the Uchiha seemed a bit more alert, sitting up straighter and _not_ scowling for once.

Ten minutes later, probably just as the minute hand hit seven, Iruka entered the classroom, a clipboard tucked under his left arm. The door shut with a crack and the Genin quieted immediately, and Iruka nodded his acknowledgment. They were no longer students and instructor, but fellow shinobi of the Leaf.

Iruka began to talk without preamble, his voice stern out of habit.

"As you know, today you are to be assigned to four man cells comprised of three Genin and a single Jounin. You will remain with this team until you are raised to Chuunin or are reassigned. You will be called to work with these same people more than any others throughout your career as a ninja, so I suggest you try to get along."

Naruto snorted, musing over whether it was even possible to get along with the likes of the Haruno or the Hyuuga, let alone Uchiha Sasuke. Iruka's no-nonsense voice rose again, and Naruto listened in.

"After teams are announced you are dismissed until noon, at that time you will report back here to meet your Jounin-sensei. I would suggest you use this time to get to know your teammates better, however, you may do as you wish with the time. If there are no questions, then I will announce the teams," he finished, eyes searching the room.

There were no questions, at least none that were important enough to outweigh learning about their teams. Iruka noted their eagerness with something akin to dry amusement. Seeing that there were no questions forthcoming Iruka looked down at the paper attached to the clipboard and began announcing teams.

To the first team, Squad Four, three unremarkable Genin were assigned. This pattern continued until the announcement of Team Seven. The assembled ninja sat up a bit straighter as the famous Jounin was announced.

"Team Seven, Jounin Sensei: Hatake Kakashi. Genin: Uchiha Sasuke," breathless gasps rippled across the room, "Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji."

Haruno half risen to her feet when her crush's name had been called, fell back into her seat with an audible thump, her mouth agape as she stared at Iruka in disbelief. Beside her, Ino wasn't much better. Kiba's loud snickers were heard as he pantomimed crude acts and then gestured towards the open mouths of the two kunoichi. Hinata, a row ahead of him, laughed outright, making no attempts to conceal her amusement. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle as well. The looks on their faces were _funny_.

Further down Shikamaru was had his forehead on his desk, which wasn't particularly unusual. The fact that he was muttering the word 'troublesome' was a bit odd. Chouji was patting him on the shoulder. The Uchiha was glaring in their general direction, and after a moment so were his two most faithful fans. Clearly it was the fault of the two boys that they'd been put on Sasuke-kun's team rather than the more deserving kunoichi.

Naruto snorted, apparently a bit two loudly, as two pairs of eyes, one pale blue and one green, abruptly focused glares in his direction. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the two and met the gazes evenly. After a moment they turned away with dainty little huffs, just in case Naruto had missed the fact that they were offended.

Iruka coughed, and attention turned back to the Chuunin. He swept an annoyed glare across the Genin at large before announcing the next unit.

"Team 9, Jounin Sensei: Shiranui Genma. Genin: Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, and Inuzuka Kiba."

The pink haired kunoichi groaned, Kiba shrugged, and Shino gave a minute nod before turning his attention to a bug crawling across his knuckles. Iruka sighed in relief before continuing.

"And Team 12, Jounin Sensei: Mitarashi Anko," Iruka's eye twitched, "Genin: Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto. If there are any questions then ask your new sensei when you meet back here at twelve o'clock. It had been my honor to teach you all, and I look forward to working with you in the future."

Iruka gave the new Genin a short, perfunctory bow and disappeared with a small puff of smoke. The hasty exit of their former teacher gave the Genin pause, but soon they were filing out of the Academy building while chatting animatedly.

Naruto drifted out among the others, wondering what he should do until he had to meet his new, unknown teacher. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the Hyuuga heiress jostled him as she brushed by on her way out of the wide double doors that were the main entrance and exit for the school.

The jinchuriki scowled, "Watch your step, _princess_."

The blue haired girl rounded on him immediately and stepped into him. The odd pupil-less eyes of her clan, framed by jaggedly cut blue hair, were narrowed. Her breath had already been made harsh by her anger and she was as tense as a tightly wound spring. Naruto wondered if she just might have some anger issues.

"Care to repeat that, Uzumaki?" she ground out, her voice far harsher than any girl her size's had a right to be.

Naruto smiled frostily, not giving an inch. If this bitch wanted a fight he'd be happy to take her down a peg or six. He wasn't about to put up with this type of bullshit all the time. Better to put her in her place early.

"I said that it would be a damned shame if the cute, little Hyuuga princess ended up getting her ass kicked because she started picking fights way out of her league. Maybe you should find someone more your gender."

Let the feminist wench chew on that one.

She did. Literally. Naruto could hear her teeth grinding together as she worked her jaw furiously. Apparently no response came to mind, as a palm thrust came flying at his shoulder joint. The blow would probably have left his arm useless for a while so Naruto made the wise decision of not letting it connect. Instead he ducked forward beneath the strike and rose, his left hand grasping Hinata's upper arm, his fingers digging painfully between the muscles. His right forearm came up beneath the girl's chin. Pressing forward, he slammed the slim girl hard against the wall, his arm still pressed against her throat and his body in close to prevent and flailing limbs from doing him any real damage.

Even as she struggled for breath her eyes glared at him. Naruto glared right back, his lips curled in a snarl. Her eyes flickered, a brief flash of fear. A moment later he released her, stepping back and to watch, his expression frigid, as she hunched over to pull in ragged gulps of air.

"That was rather pathetic, Hyuuga-sama," he spat icily, "I would have expected better from one of you _prestigious_ upbringing. If you're going to fly off the handle every time your period rolls around then you're less than useless, and likely to get yourself killed. You should just quit as a ninja now and save us the trouble of scraping up your corpse later."

Hinata's glare remained steadfast. Naruto supposed it must be her default expression as he turned and walked away. He wasn't particularly worried about the repercussions of his act. The girl was too prideful to tell anyone of her humiliation, let alone her own clan. He was a bit more concerned about the fact that she'd likely try to murder him in his sleep now. He resolved himself to keep an eye on the hotheaded kunoichi in the future.

* * *

Naruto strolled along the outskirts of the village, where training grounds were separated from the village proper by trees, high fences, streams, and signs that read 'Shinobi Personnel Only.' There weren't many ninja out training currently, so it wasn't long before the young blond found himself at a deserted training ground.

This particular training area, number 23, was nothing more than a big clearing with a heaping of large broken boulders and dirt. A rather wide stream and a stand of Maple trees cut off the area from the village, and it was hemmed in by trees on the other three sides.

Naruto stood near the edge of the stream, facing the center of the rocky area, where a large jagged stone rose from the earth. The young Genin took a moment to calm himself, then sped up his chakra. Unlike before it wasn't a gradually shifting into gear, instead his chakra immediately began flying through their coils, racing faster and faster as he confined it to the coils within his abdomen.

He crouched, his left foot sliding back to set behind and perpendicular to his right. His hands came together and blazed through the short seal-set. As they came together for the last time he thrust his arms forward and released the pent up chakra with a cry of "**Fūton: Daitoppa**!"

Just as the chakra was fleeing from his hands and pulling the air along with it Naruto diverted some from his forearms that acted as a tunnel for the great cannonball of wind. The Demon Jailor grinned victoriously as the technique shot away, straight as an arrow but far, far more deadly. The massive blast of condensed air was only visible by the displaced dust and the huge furrow it dug in the ground as it tore towards the large rock in the center, heedless of everything in it's path.

In no time at all it had crashed against the towering stone. It was a hyper speed lesson on erosion, as the chakra reinforced wind tore at the stone. To Naruto's disappointment the stone didn't break, but it sure as hell took a beating.

Naruto whistled softly as he walked down the ditch he'd created. This was the most destructive technique he'd learned by far. The furrow in the ground was at least two yards wide and a third of that deep. Dust still hung in the air, causing him to cough as he inhaled a bit too deeply. He realized that he was panting slightly, which was surprising. The jutsu took a lot of chakra, even from him. Naruto took solace in the fact that his arms weren't sore, which would have been a sign of overloaded tenketsu.

Arriving at the center of the training area, Naruto whistled again. The rock, formerly more pyramidal in shape, was now a wide crescent. The wind had simply drilled into the rock, scraping away at it until its energy had been spent. The interior of the crescent was as smooth as glass, and warm to the touch. Naruto grinned. He really really liked this jutsu.

Sarutobi-sensei usually treated him to a meal of his choosing when he'd mastered a new jutsu or exercise. Just because the old man wasn't in town didn't mean he couldn't or shouldn't still do so. Naruto decided a little pilfering was in order, so he quickly made his way back to the Sarutobi Manor and withdrew a few thousand yen from the stash hidden under the kitchen floor. Naruto knew that his mentor had many such stashes, some with money and supplies, and that they were hidden throughout the Elemental Nations. Besides, the old man was filthy rich. He wouldn't miss it.

Whistling a jaunty tune Naruto headed out into the village, after performing a quick Henge to disguise himself, of course. Now distinctly less blond and far less be-whiskered Naruto searched for a restaurant to sate his rumbling stomach. He followed his nose more than his eyes, as it was just as sharp and more suited to his task. After picking up and discarding the scents flowing from several dining establishments the succulent scent of sizzling pork and liberal amounts of barbecue caught his attention and beckoned.

Naruto followed the heavenly smells to a large, dimly lit restaurant. He entered through the long flaps that acted as a door and the smell intensified. His stomach let out a low rumble of impatience. Naruto agreed with it wholeheartedly.

Dominating the center of a restaurant was a long oval bar, behind which half a dozen cooks labored furiously as they prepared for the soon to come lunch rush. The bar was surrounded by low, padded stools. Against the walls were row upon row of booths that could seat four comfortably. Already most of these were occupied, and the barstools were beginning to fill up as well as more people entered.

Naruto headed straight for the bar and watched, fascinated as the chefs displayed their skills. Soon his hunger overrode his interest with the talented cooks. Almost as if she'd been summoned, a waitress appeared at his side, wearing a knee length black dress and a spotless red and white apron. She smiled and handed him a menu while asking what he'd have to drink.

Naruto asked for water then quickly looked over the menu, and once the waitress returned with his water he informed her that he'd have the adult sized grilled chicken skewers, spicy. And the spicy grilled fish. She nodded and smiled before departing.

Within ten minutes he had to steaming platters before him, and he wasted no time, digging in with gusto. He raised a hand to finish off a skewer when the ring end of a similar metal skewer crashed into his knuckles, causing his last pieces of food to fall to the floor. Blood ran down Naruto's fingers. The skewer had cut open the skin on a couple of his knuckles.

He spun to the left, where the projectile had come from, to see a woman with hair so dark it had a purple sheen. The glint of a hitai-ate was just visible below her spiky bangs. A long tan trench coat with a high stiff collar enveloped her body. Naruto had never seen her before in his life. She sat idly three stools away twirling another skewer between her fingers, and smirking wickedly at him all the while. Naruto glared, outraged at this strange ninja.

She stood and sauntered over to him, smirk still firmly in place. Naruto caught glimpses of what looked to be mesh covering her body as the cloak swayed with her sinuous movements. She plopped down unceremoniously in the stool next to him, her dark eyes smoldering with amusement.

Naruto growled, "The hell was that for?"

The mysterious ninja just shrugged, her smile widening.

"Not bad, kid. I know Chuunin who are to stupid to hold a transformation like that. Though I can't see why you'd use it just to grab a bite to eat."

"And what does it matter to you?" Naruto scowled as he turned back to find that his plates were empty. He sighed mournfully at his lost skewer. He reluctantly turned back to the older woman.

"Doesn't really, only it's sort of a bad idea to be hiding something with all these ninja about. Someone might get suspicious," she smirked at him as she flipped the skewer through the air. "Nice work though, most brats don't think to change as little of their appearance as possible. What's your name, kid?"

Naruto snorted, "What is this? An interrogation? I don't have to tell you anything."

The Henge'd boy turned to hop from his stool and depart, only to find that he couldn't move. Dark blue snakes had suddenly appeared, wrapping around his arms and ankles and preventing him from moving the appendages. Naruto froze as yet another snake slid around his neck, coiling loosely as its head came to rest next to his jugular. It's thin tongue tickled as it flicked over his skin.

He traced the end of the snakes back to the broad sleeves of the insane woman seated beside him. Her eye gleamed sadistically as she watched him go still. She plucked an ice cube from his glass and ran it slowly back and forth along her lips before those same full lips enveloped it with a low moan of apparent relish.

Naruto was suddenly feeling a lot warmer. Seeing she had his attention she crunched down hard on the ice, audibly crushing it with her teeth. Naruto swallowed nervously.

She leaned forward to put her eyes level with his, "As a matter of fact, that's exactly what this is. I happen to be part of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Division," she smiled, it promised all sorts of things he wasn't sure he wanted to understand, "I also dabble in Assassination now and then."

Naruto was sweating now and wondered why no one seemed to notice what was going on. His attention was brought back to the present as the crazy kunoichi slid her hand, the one without the snakes, onto his head, her fingers running through his now brown hair. Naruto tried to ignore how good her fingers felt on his scalp.

This was made a lot easier when her hand fisted in his hair, pulling painfully. Her other hand rose in a one handed seal as she whispered, voice almost sultry.

"Kai."

Naruto felt his chakra construct unravel, even as he watched his hair flicker back to its natural golden color. The room seemed to brighten at the same time, his vision becoming a bit clearer and noises becoming sharper. People began noticing him again if their expressions of anger were anything to go by. A Genjutsu.

The woman's grip disappeared, as did the snakes as she straightened in her seat. She peered at him before chuckling with that smooth dark voice of hers. She stood up and left the restaurant, her hips swaying far too distractingly.

Naruto just sat there watching her, before a man stepped into his field of vision wearing a scowl. Naruto looked at him questioningly and he wordlessly thrust two receipts into the boy's face. Naruto blinked and took the receipts. One was for his own meal, and the other appeared to be for a sweet bean soup and an exorbitant amount of dango. Naruto thrust the latter receipt right back.

"Not mine," he said gruffly, by way of explanation.

The man sneered, and Naruto could only guess that he was the restaurant's manager. He inhaled deeply, his gut bulging out.

"Your friend didn't pay, she mentioned that she was with you. Thus, you pay."

Naruto gave the man a sour look, wondering if he were just making it up. In the end he decided it'd be less of a hassle to just pay the irritable man, and it's not like it was his money anyway. Pockets significantly lighter, the blond cleared out of the place before he could be rudely asked to leave. He didn't want to be there when the restaurant filled up with hungry civilians anyway.

He set off at the Academy, arriving thirty minutes earlier than scheduled. As the classroom was deserted Naruto climbed up into the tree just outside the doors to the school and nestled down among the wide branches to wait.

A few minutes later Iruka appeared, he seemed to be talking animatedly for once. His hand gestures were wild enough to deal damage if anyone were close enough. Beside him, though a safe distance away from the flailing arms, walked a stunning woman. Her glossy hair fell in black waves down her back, held back from her face by her hitai-ate. Her outfit was odd, looking like little more than several white and black long, broad strips of fabric criss-crossing from her shoulders all the way to her thighs. Her right arm was covered in a large sleeve of red silk, while her left arm remained bare.

The clothing gave her a distinctly exotic look. She wasn't particularly tall, probably barely above Naruto himself, but she had long shapely legs that had the boy staring at all the bare skin. Her scarlet lips were quirked into a small smile as she listened to Iruka talk about this year's graduates and their antics. She was apparently accustomed to the effect she had on men. Could this be his sensei?

Naruto finally blinked as they entered the building. He contemplated entering as well, mostly so he could gaze at the woman more, but quickly discarded the idea as more than a bit juvenile. Instead he waited among the gently swaying branches as his fellow Genin began to arrive.

If any of them noticed his presence above his or her heads they didn't show it, though he thought he saw Shino tilt his head briefly before entering. Several Jounin entered the building, though the only one he recognized was his sensei's son, Asuma.

Figuring there was no reason to stay in his lofty perch Naruto dropped to the ground and entered the Academy for the second time that day.

Once inside he took his usual seat at the very back. The Jounin were all standing next to Iruka's desk and chatting among themselves. The Genin were watching them and whispering back and forth. Naruto focused on the Jounin, and noted that there were only seven present when there should be nine. He assumed that the lackadaisical Kakashi would be along eventually. Team Seven was in for quite the wait.

The tallest of the Jounin was a brown haired man of indeterminate age. He could have been anywhere from 20 to 35. He wore a dark blue bandanna over his head and had a senbon needle hanging from his lips. Most of the others looked rather... average. Aside from the kunoichi he had noted earlier they were boring.

Iruka waited until it became clear that no one else was showing up immediately. He called everyone's attention and then began matching Genin with their Jounin teacher, or at least he would have if the door hadn't come flying off it's hinges to skid across the room.

Several of the Jounin could be heard chuckling. Iruka's let out a resigned sigh, and the Genin stood to see what was at the door. Naruto stood as well to see over the others, only to fall back into his seat with a groan as he recognized the nutjob kunoichi from earlier.

She strolled into the room as if she hadn't just broken down the door and gave the scowling Iruka a noogie. She released the man and sauntered over to the other Jounin, many of whom were now eying her warily, as one might a particularly poisonous snake. The kunoichi with the odd red and white wrap eyed the new comer distastefully and turned back to the conversation she'd been having with the senbon chewing Jounin.

This proved to be a mistake as the trench coat wearing kunoichi, whom Naruto was sincerely praying was not named Anko, slipped forward and squeezed her bum. A fit of coughing came from many of the males in the room. The crimson eyed Jounin spun and knocked the hand away, glaring fiercely at the other woman.

Kiba looked as if he'd one three or four lotteries as he openly drooled at the sight. Iruka's hand dove into his vest pocket to retrieve a handkerchief, which he quickly applied to his nose. Hinata was grinning at the display. Her fellow Genin kunoichi just looked shocked and appalled. Naruto was desperately hoping the pretty red eyed lady was his new sensei.

Iruka quickly regained order and started pointing the Genin to their new teachers. Naruto released a depressed sigh as the far more sane woman, named Yuuhi Kurenai, left with her students. His fears were realized moments later when Iruka pointed him toward the creepy lady, Hinata and Ino following behind him.

She winked at him before crooking a finger and sashaying away. Naruto managed to tear his eyes away from her swaying hips long enough to command his legs to follow her. He scowled, figuring she was doing it on purpose. His luck really sucked sometimes.

Anko led them to a park that was not far from the school. It was a small park, with a small brook meandering through a grassy meadow, it was one of several that dotted Konoha. The village took its nature seriously.

Anko sat down next to the lightly gurgling water and stretched out on her side, her head propped up by her palm. Naruto had no idea how she was so relaxed in that outfit. The steel mesh just _had_ to be pinching in some sensitive places. Nevertheless she seemed perfectly at ease as she reclined on the grass.

She grinned at them, "Find some grass, we're supposed to have a little talk now."

The three Genin obliged, sitting on the thick carpet of grass a few feet from the purple haired menace.. Naruto sat beside Ino, who was between himself and Hinata. All things considered, Naruto preferred it that way, as Hinata could be more than a little volatile.

Anko was watching him, her lips curving in a smug smile, and he pinned her with a flat stare. Her smile broadened into a wicked grin.

"How about we talk about you coughing up all the money you owe me?"

Anko managed a credible mask of innocence, her dark eyes looking almost _wounded_. Ino and Hinata rounded on him, threatening scowls adorning their faces. Naruto rolled his eyes as Ino began to rant at him about proper respect for authority or some such. Naruto tuned her out as he continued to glare at Anko.

Once Ino's volume began to rise as her rant turned towards her outrage at being ignored. Naruto was almost grateful when the Jounin-sensei intervened.

"I really hate to interrupt this little lovers' spat, but we do have some actual business to take care of, so if you two are quite done we can move right on along."

Ino promptly shut up, her cheeks coloring, and the woman continued, pulling a blue papered notepad from one of the voluminous pockets of her coat. She flipped through several pages, and Naruto noted that they were covered in cramped scripts and dozens and dozens of doodles. Coming to rest on the page she wanted, she skimmed it briefly and tucked it away again.

"Alright, brats. We're supposed to get to know each other better by way of introductions. This begins to build a sense of camaraderie between us as a team, or something."

Naruto stared at her blankly, wondering if she'd just recited someone else's words. It sounded like something Iruka would say. Judging by the looks on the faces of Hinata and Ino they also felt such a sentiment hard to believe from the odd woman. Anko continued, sounding less like a voice recording this time around.

"Since I'm clearly the most interesting person here, not being a pathetic Genin and all, I'll start us off, then you brats can have a go, just follow my example."

She stood quickly, a wide and cocky grin plastered on her face as she pointed at herself with her thumb.

"Listen good, cause I hate repeating myself! I'm the one and only Mitarashi Anko. Best damn assassin in this village, and if anyone says differently they're full of shit! My loves are dango, perfect kills, and dango! In that order. I hate loudmouth brats who don't know when to shut up, and weak shinobi who think that they can survive without shedding a little blood. The only dreams I have you're too young to understand so I won't tell you about them, though once you get a bit older I may give you a demonstration," she finished with a wink in Naruto's direction before pointing at the Hyuuga. "Ladies first, you're up, little girl."

Hinata glared at being called little, but stood to speak anyway, "My name is Hyuuga Hinata, and I'm the heir of a clan full of weak, doddering, chauvinistic fools. The only thing I really like to do is train, and my chief dislikes are idiot shinobi who think kunoichi can't be strong," here she shot a venomous glance at a bored looking Naruto, "and the morons on the council who think with their shriveled little dicks. My dream is to change my clan and become a kunoichi renowned for he strength."

Her rant finished, Hinata sat down with a huff, arms crossed as she stared into the waters of the brook. Naruto figured she might actually have a decent reason for her misandry. Anko just grinned at Hinata's speech.

"A girl after my own heart. If you need any help sticking a kunai up some guy's ass just let me know."

Naruto frowned, sincerely hoping that wouldn't apply to him. It did get Hinata to smile, her eyes softening somewhat. Ino was up next, as Anko pointed out with a rather pointed hurrying motion. As the two kunoichi before her had, she stood before beginning to speak.

"I'm Ino of the Yamanaka clan. My favorite hobbies are spending time with Sasuke-kun, and helping my mother run our floral shop. I dislike Sakura and how she's always all over **my** Sasuke and bossy people. My dream is... personal," her eyes took on a glossy shimmer as her cheeks colored.

Naruto scoffed, bringing Ino out of whatever twisted fantasy she'd been having. She noticed the identical looks of disdain on the faces of Hinata and her new sensei. Naruto was ignoring her altogether, busy watching a horde of ants take dismember a small spider. She quickly sat down, cheeks red with embarrassment and Anko, once again reclined on her side, gave a lazy roll of her shoulder before pointing at Naruto.

The Demon Jailor didn't bother standing, only sitting up a bit straighter and focusing his azure eyes on the purple haired Jounin. He spoke evenly, all the emotion he'd shown earlier seemingly drained out of him.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I prefer mid to short range ninjutsu, and taijutsu in combat. My information gathering skills are decent, though likely below those of my two teammates. My stealth and infiltration abilities are above standard for my level. My career goals are to become a member of the ANBU.. Is that sufficient or would you like to know more?"

Anko waved an idle hand while frowning at the boy, "Nah, nah. That's just fine, wouldn't have pegged you as such a stick in the mud, though."

She yawned and stretched languidly, and Naruto quickly turned his attention back to the ants. They were far less likely to find their way into his dreams than Anko's jacket falling open.

"I could really use a nap, so how about we meet back here tomorrow, say around," she twirled her wrist as she drew the last word out, "three in the afternoon? Sound good? Great. Then we can have a little exercise and we can see if you twerps are really worth your salt. If not then I'll send to back to the Academy and maybe you'll learn what it really means to be a shinobi. Your opponent will be me," she shot them a wicked grin.

"What?! But we're already shinobi, right? We passed the Genin Exam!" came Ino's loud screech.

Naruto barely even noticed his throbbing eardrum as Hinata echoed Ino's sentiment, though several decibels lower. He chose to merely raise a questioning eyebrow.

Anko's voice lowered further, sounding almost threatening as she glared at the three Genin as she quickly rose to her feet.

"Do you _children_ really think that just because you'd passed that pathetic test that you're ready to become ninja? Well you've got another thing coming if you think you've got what it takes to survive out in the real world. Tomorrow we see if you three have the potential. I don't train weaklings, and if you can't cut it then it's too damn bad. Better back at the Academy than dead. Three o'clock."

With that she twirled and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Rather melodramatic, in Naruto's opinion. He glanced at his two companions. Ino was frowning at the spot their sensei had occupied moments before, while Hinata was glaring fiercely at the ground, he fists clenched. Both were looking rather contemplative, and Naruto decided to leave them be as he left the park.

Truthfully, Naruto was also disturbed by Anko's words, and more so by the woman herself. Her moods oscillated quickly. One moment she'd be all cocky smiles, and the next angry and glaring. She'd be difficult to predict, both in and out of combat. Unpredictable allies could be just as dangerous as enemies.

Naruto ran over what he knew of her, hoping to spot something he'd missed earlier. She was at least proficient in Genjutsu, at least better than himself, which really wasn't saying much at all. Though he should have noticed the technique being laid in the restaurant earlier at the very least. That alone told him that she was far above his level, to be able to mask such a wide area technique. Not to mention she'd noticed his localized Transformation jutsu.

The Jailor frowned as he entered the Clan District. He really didn't want to go back to the Academy, but he also didn't see a way that his teacher could be defeated by mere Genin. He resolved himself to worrying about it when the time came as he made his way past his traps and into the Manor.

He was immediately assaulted by the pungent smell of the brand of tobacco Sarutobi-sensei favored and a genuine grin split his face as he hurried into the living room, finding his unofficial grandfather reclining in a large armchair and reading a book while puffing gently at his pipe. Wood, cut by Naruto himself, crackled in the fireplace, making the den almost uncomfortably warm.

The retired Hokage smiled warmly as Naruto entered his field of vision. Bending at the waist, Naruto bowed low to the only man he considered himself close to, before dropping to his knees and sitting back on his legs before the old man's armchair.

The Sandaime tucked his book away and studied Naruto, eyes glinting briefly in what Naruto _thought_ was pride as he took in the hitai-ate wrapped around his young protégé's forehead.

"Sensei, your mission went well, I hope?" came Naruto's voice, even and respectful.

The old man nodded before elaborating, "It did. Shizune-san's informants are very good at what they do. She'll have a more complete network that Jiraiya within a few years. A most impressive young woman."

A small blush stained the old man's cheeks. Naruto bowed his head, hiding a grin. The Sandaime's fondness for women was nothing new to the boy. His sensei's expression turned grim as he continued.

"Though the information itself is quite troubling. Storm clouds are brewing once more, we'll all have to be more vigilant than ever, that includes you. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times"

Naruto wasn't overly concerned by the cryptic message. There were many things that his venerable teacher knew that he wasn't yet ready to learn. As such whenever the old man returned from a mission he'd only describe it in the vaguest of terms. Naruto had accepted that he would learn in time, when he was strong enough to protect his sensei's secrets.

Sarutobi-sensei's eyes softened, "So you passed the Genin Exam as I knew you would. Congratulations. That makes you an adult in the eyes of the village, and it is customary to give gifts when a child comes of age. I have a present for you, Naruto. I had it ordered some time ago, and picked it up on my trip."

He pulled a rather sizable scroll from within his pale gray robe and handed it to his student, who quickly dashed a bit of blood from his thumb over the seal and unrolled it. With a large puff of smoke that quickly dissipated, a six foot long Bo Staff rolled from the scroll to bump against his knees. Naruto stared at the weapon, fingers gently tracing dark wood of the stave.

"Now that you're a licensed shinobi you're permitted to carry weaponry openly in the village. I had this staff made by a rather famous wood crafter from River Country. His family is said to have a distant relation to the First Hokage. The wood is Black Ironwood, and is nearly as hard and dense as steel. Since it is made from something that was once alive, the staff is much easier to channel chakra through than a metal weapon is capable of, though I wouldn't advise you to work it into your jutsu until you've mastered some basic movements. There's a scroll containing those on your bed. Once you've become proficient with those I will begin teaching you more advanced movements, as well as how to utilize it with your ninjutsu."

Naruto blinked, feeling his eyes stinging as he held the staff in his lap. The weapon must have cost a small fortune, Naruto had never received a gift like this. He mastered himself and looked up at the only person he truly trusted. The old man was smiling warmly at him.

"Thank you, Sensei," came Naruto's simple, yet heartfelt reply.

The Hokage nodded, making a shooing motion with his hand as he pulled his book back out and flipped through it to find his page. Naruto nodded and left, carrying the sealing scroll in his right hand and his new staff in his left.

As Sarutobi-sensei had said, there was a scroll lying on his bed. Naruto ignored it and cross to rummage through the drawers beneath the bed. He found what he was looking for, a long black sash, identical to the one around his waist. He quickly looped it twice over his left shoulders and across his chest. As he'd hoped it was a snug fit. He took up his staff and slid it beneath the broad cloth.

The boy did a few experimental hops and spins. The staff remained secure. Naruto grinned. Taking the scroll he moved the the backyard, finding a spot to read upon a large boulder near the edge of the property.

He unfurled the rather small scroll and quickly read over it. It contained only eight movies. Four offensive, four defensive. They were all simple, so Naruto memorized them before tucking the scroll away. Then he practiced, repeated the sweeps and thrusts and blocks again and again, ingraining them in his muscle memory.

By the time he called it quites he was sweating profusely, and his arms were leaden. The staff felt a lot heavier than it had a few hours ago so he smoothly slid it into his new harness. He'd practiced drawing and putting it away as well.

He entered the kitchen and found a plate holding a couple of simple turkey and cheese sandwiches and a tall glass of orange juice sitting on the marble, island counter. Naruto silently thanked his teacher and quickly scarfed down the two sandwiches. Draining the glass of juice Naruto let out a small burp and dumped the dishes in the sink before retiring to his room for the night. He missed his aged instructor entering the kitchen by mere moments.

The old man looked around in with slight confusion furrowing his brows.

"Where'd my sandwiches go?" he said to the empty kitchen.

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A/N: Alright, so chapter 2, complete. I really wanted to add in Anko's test, but it'd have taken several thousand more words, and I want the chapters to be more or less equal in length. True, this one is a bit shorter than normal, but the discrepancy is less than it would be. Besides, this felt like a good place to stop.

Next chapter will probably exceed 12l, but I make no promises. Anyway, leave me a review telling me what you think.

-Sang


	4. Chapter 03

Disclaimer: I doubt I need to tell you that I don't own Naruto. Hell, I don't even speak Japanese.

Author's Note: Yes, yes. This chapter has been delayed. I don't apologize for the delay as I had important things to do. Enjoy. For those of you reading,. I'd like to ask a favor. The only reason I post this story here is for critiques on my skill as a writer. If you leave a review telling me what about my style of writing I can make the story that much better. As it is with nearly 10,000 hits I only have a handful of Reviews. Of those handfuls of reviews, few are longer than a sentence. Of those that are longer than a sentence not one talks about what can be improved about the style of my writing (excluding typos).

I don't mind reviews discussing the story itself, but please tell me what you think of things such as **flow, character development, realism, descriptions, pace, tone, etc.** All that boring stuff you learned about in English class in High school.

Thanks,

_Sang _

* * *

Chapter 3 

Naruto slid smoothly into a defensive stance, balancing comfortably on the balls of his feet as he pulled the staff from its harness and held it diagonally in before him. His grip was light yet steady on the wooden weapon. Head turning sideways, the blond compared his stance with Sarutobi-sensei's.

Noting a few small differences, Naruto shifted his weight and grip until he mirrored the older ninja perfectly. Sensei nodded at the corrections then flowed into the next stance, a low thrust that would be aimed at the opponent's ankle or knee in practice. Naruto changed forms with far less grace, than his venerable sensei, but that was why he was the student, and Sarutobi the master.

A chill breeze played a rasping, hissing melody in the trees that surrounded the two shinobi, who continued to pass from thrust to block to sweep, and back again. High clouds muted the light of the dawn, casting their surroundings into a land of deep shadows and pale grays.

Still the two men, one ancient by any ninja's standards, the other too fresh and small to have spilled enemy blood, moved through the forms. Knowledge imparted, time shared, and bonds strengthened.

Though he was unable to admit it to anyone, least of all his instructor, Naruto loved these type of lessons with his sensei. They were exceedingly rare, and only during them would Sarutobi-sensei would drop the hard-as-steel exterior and become the grandfather that he remembered from his childhood.

Naruto cherished the looks of warm approval he would receive when performing a technique correctly. A stark contrast to the usual training he put himself through with the strict, perfectionist Sandaime. At times Naruto would curse himself for being weak, for desiring his former family, once more. However, he could not stop the longing for those happy, peaceful times. The best he could do was keep them locked away inside and ignore them. Thus was the life of a shinobi, regardless of age.

Little more than an hour later the sun had burned away the thin cloud cover, and their practice came to its completion. Walking back through the copse of trees that had separated the two ninja from their home Naruto questioned the fount of knowledge that was the former Hokage, who was shrugging into one of his innumerable white robes.

"Sensei, what can you tell me about a Mitarashi Anko?" he probed.

Sarutobi paused, thoughtfully tapping his chin while allowing Naruto to open the back door of the manor for him. Naruto followed his teacher into their home, waiting patiently as the old man propped his practice staff in the corner next to the door and took a seat at the table. Naruto took the seat across from him as the Sandaime came to his decision on what and whatnot to share with his young pupil.

"I assume then that she is your Jounin-sensei?" at Naruto's nod he continued, "Anko-san is a young woman coming from circumstances not too dissimilar from your own. Her parents were killed by Missing-Nin while traveling to the capitol of Rice Country. She was a Genin at the time, and soon after her two teammates were killed in action, leaving only her and her Jounin-sensei on the team."

"She ascended the ranks quickly after that, becoming a Tokubetsu Jounin, specializing in Infiltration and Assassination. She became a full-fledged Jounin two or three years ago if memory serves."

Naruto blinked at his sensei, wondering at the depth of information he carried. Unfortunately very little of what he'd been told would be useful in actually fighting the woman, which Sarutobi-sensei doubtless knew. He didn't bother asking for more. If the old man had wanted to tell him anything else he would have the first time.

Standing, Naruto busied himself with preparing tea and a light breakfast for the two of them. While the Sandaime excelled at many things, cooking was not anywhere on that list. Thus it fell to Naruto to make the majority of the meals for them. This set up suited the former Hokage just fine as it gave him more time to partake of his favorite literary works. A warm chuckle escaped his lips as he pulled a small, visibly well read, orange-covered book from within his voluminous robes.

Naruto snorted derisively, but the old man just shrugged; rationalizing that Naruto wasn't yet at the right stage in life to appreciate good plot and character development. Sarutobi glanced at his young ward, noting already the signs maturation in the lines of face and breadth of shoulder. Puberty was soon to be fully upon young Naruto, and with it... Sarutobi chuckled again.

Ignoring his perverted mentor, Naruto quickly and efficiently went about providing sustenance for the two bachelors. Setting down steaming bowls of miso soup and large chunks of oven-warmed bread.

Naruto was ever a voracious eater, due to somewhat to the demon spirit residing inside him, and in greater part to the fact that he was a growing boy. The blond tore into the light meal, while Sarutobi ate at a more sedate pace, his book now removed to the recesses of his clothing. The older man watched the youth with amusement dancing in his eyes. The boy often reminded him of the many young men he'd watched grow from youth to adulthood. Including his own two sons, both of whom he was unable to see anymore, though for differing reasons.

He wondered what type of person Konohamaru was growing into. He had not seen his grandson by blood in many years, not since he had put the child into the care of Asuma. He did not regret his decision to estrange himself and Naruto from the rest of their loved ones. It had and continued to be necessary for the well being of both Konoha and Naruto himself. It was hard on an old man, Hokage or no, to not be part of the lives of those dear to him.

Food forgotten, Sarutobi examined his grandson in everything but blood. The boy was and would continue to grow into a fine young man, if the harsh realities of life as a ninja did not break him first. He had seen it too many times over the course of his ninja career. It didn't always result in death, as it had with Hatake Sakumo and dozens of others, but often resulted in a warping of the mind. The study and healing of the mind was even younger than the advent of medical techniques ushered in by his student, Tsunade. Beforehand, when a ninja studied behavior and mental process it had always been in order to better destroy them through genjutsu or torture.

He had been wrong in his dismissal of Tsunade's idea then. He had been wrong many times in his duties as Hokage. More often than not, when the Hokage was wrong people died. The office of Hokage was not a light burden. Not by a long shot. The weight of those wars, of those countless lives lost still burdened his old shoulders. He hoped that he had not made a mistake in distancing himself and Naruto from the village and all their allies. The repercussions, both for the Village and Naruto would be grave indeed.

Striking blue eyes brought Sarutobi from his reverie, washing his morbid thoughts away like the ocean tides they so resembled. They searched his face, holding solemn compassion and understanding. They were hardly the eyes of a child, Sarutobi thought, almost regretfully.

"Sensei?" the youth queried, quietly.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Why did you do it? Why did you give up everything, nearly everyone, you had to raise me? I know you could have sent me to the orphanage with the others from the Attack, or even set me up as a Ward of the Village. You didn't have to give it all up just for me." Naruto's voice was calm, undemanding.

Sarutobi wasn't fooled. He could see the hunger, the need in the boy's eyes. Nothing was hidden from him.

"Because that is what it means to be Hokage. While the needs of the many often take precedence over the needs of individuals, we cannot ever forget that there are individuals. I could no more allow the villagers to hurt you than I could allow you, or any shinobi, to hurt them. The Hokage protects the Village and the people of Konoha are the Village."

"The Will of Fire." Naruto supplied somberly, eyes serious.

A genuine smile softened the harsh lines and crags of the former Hokage's face as he stood and rounded the table. A calloused hand briefly gripping Naruto's shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, Naruto-kun," with that he turned and left the kitchen, the soft susurration of his robes following his steps.

Naruto began clearing away the dishes, piling them haphazardly in the plugged sink and filling it with with hot water and soap. He'd never really taken the village's core belief to heart as so many shinobi did, believing it only led to hypocrisy, as in the case of many self-serving villagers and ninja, blind zealotry, or a dependence on others.

The Sandaime had never gone into any great depth about his own belief, preferring, Naruto now realized, to let is student make his own connections and decisions. Aside from the old man, for most of his life he had never felt the need to protect anyone. Certainly not anyone his own age, as he kept away from them as much as they avoided him. Everyone he knew personally was older and more than capable of taking care of themselves, and hadn't been around since before he'd started the Academy anyway.

Realizing he currently had little to no experience with any actual applications with the ideal, Naruto resolved to put it to the back of his mind, until he could see for himself if putting one's self on the line for others really did make one stronger.

Leaving the dishes to soak, Naruto stopped in his room briefly to gather his remaining gear from his room. An ammunitions pouch was slid beneath the sash at his hip, sliding neatly onto the hidden clasp there. It stored few kunai and shuriken, as he preferred other means of distraction than the barely useful projectiles. Instead were several tightly wound rolls of wire, which were exceedingly effective in multiple ways, including garroting, restraint, and more utilitarian uses. A small stack of C-Grade explosive notes accompanied the wire. Lastly were several hard, course gray balls, that were far heavier than their size (about as big as the ring of a kunai) would indicate. Flash bombs. Which were no longer illegal for him to own, since he was now officially a ninja.

That done, Naruto departed for Konoha's merchant district, which dominated the center of the village. The day was chill, almost cold and the sky overcast as he sped towards the village, wind bit sharply at his face as he vaulted from rooftop to rooftop, turning his cheeks red and chapping his lips. Naruto readily dropped down to the streets, which were packed with moving, yelling, warm bodies, despite the threat of rain looming overhead.

Using his lithe form to good effect, Naruto slipped easily through the throng, keeping his head down and moving quickly so as not to be recognized. Causing a scene and involving ANBU was not on his things to do list.

Ducking down a narrow alley, Naruto carefully stepped over a snoring drunk before levering himself over the rickety wooden fence to his left. He found himself in the backyard of an old house that had been converted into a shop long ago.

The lot was filled with twisted scrap metal, abandoned projects and imperfect metal. Several quenching barrels stood in a row on the clean cobblestone along the side of the fence opposite him.

The one story building was of moderate size, certainly bigger than most specialty shops on the street due to it's former status as a house. Several long, narrow chimneys extended from the roof, pumping acrid black smoke into the air, and covering the sides of adjacent buildings with sooty coats.

Naruto made his way to the back door and rapped his knuckles against it precisely fourteen times. Then he waited. And waited. Naruto tapped his foot impatiently as he leaned against the door frame. Finally the sounds of movement reached his keen ears, followed by the sounds of multiple bolts sliding back in their frames. Paranoid bastard, Naruto thought with a slight scowl of annoyance and a great deal of impatience.

Said paranoid bastard stuck his bald, sweaty head out of the door a moment later. He made a show of looking around, as if to check for witnesses, before scowling down at the blond and stepping out of the shop, closing the door quickly behind him.

"Oh, it's you." The sweaty, bald, paranoid bastard said, shortly. Bastard.

Naruto scowled right back, "As if anyone else has to come into your smelly little shop from the back-fucking-door and knock on it fourteen times just to get you to show up after a twenty minute wait."

The Smith didn't bat an eye as the seemingly irate young man continued to vent his spleen, and a multitude of expletives, all over his backyard. When the blond seemed to be running out of steam the sweaty, bald, paranoid bastard decided to interrupt.

"So you coming in or what?"

"Yeah." Naruto, rant ended and eyes full of laughter, entered the shop after the Smith.

The shop was warm, a welcome relief from the teeth of wind and cold. Naruto followed the tall man, known only to him as the Smith, deeper into the shop. The furnace and bellows were unmanned, the hammer and anvil deserted. He'd sent his apprentices off on a break.

The Smith seated himself on an empty anvil and looked appraisingly at Naruto. The blond for his part eyed the walls, which were covered with hanging examples of the Smith's expertise. Weaponry played only a small part of the decoration/advertisement. Hammers, wrenches, rakes, and a large variety of civilian tools were showcased on the dark gray walls that, allegedly, had at one point in time been white.

"So a ninja now are you?" the Smith's ragged voice pulled Naruto from is perusal of an oddly shaped axe, "and what would a fine young hero of the village such as ye want in my humble shop?"

As was his wont, the Smith's voice was laden with sarcasm. He treated all of is customers to disparaging comments, outright insults, teasing, and some of the finest crafting in the village. Not quite the best quality money could buy, but certainly the best Naruto could. Naruto snorted, ignored the attitude, far too used to it by now to let it get to him.

* * *

The Demon Jailor had first met the blacksmith two years prior. He had finished his first year of the Academy, and was out for the two month break over July and August, the hottest months of the year. 

Each student had been sent home with a list of supplies to bring to school at the beginning of the second year. Naruto, already well experienced with the attitude of most shopkeepers towards what they perceived to be cursed and evil, had been wondering how he was to acquire some of the necessary items when he was struck by sudden inspiration from the most unlikely source: Jiraiya of the Dentetsu no Sannin.

Before the young shinobi had started at the Academy, Jiraiya would often bring him souvenirs from his travels throughout the Elemental Nations. These present were generally items stolen from other Hidden Villages. Bingo books, ANBU and Hunter-Nin masks, and other such items easily identifiable as being from a Hidden Ninja Village all found their way to Naruto from Jiraiya. The white-haired hermit infiltrated the most secure facilities in the Elemental Nations for fun.

Well Naruto loved fun just as much as the next perverted Legendary shinobi, so he'd promptly decided that if they wouldn't play nice and sell him what he'd needed then he'd just have to get in some practical stealth and infiltration training.

This had gone well for the the shinobi-in-training, too well in fact. He'd gotten too sure in his abilities and had attempted to break into the very shop in which he stood now. So far every shop he had borrowed a few items from had been laughably easy to enter, with few if any traps set up to stop intruders. The traps he did encounter were elementary in nature, and easily taken apart and reset upon departure. Then, they weren't meant to stop ninja.

Most store-owners hired Genin teams to set up basic traps to protect their shops from thieves in the night. It was one of the most frequently requested (and most expensive) D-Rank missions assigned to Genin, and was generally sufficient to deter the average criminal, which was more than enough for the common shopkeep.

The Smith spat in the face of the common shopkeep.

The man was paranoid to the extreme when it came to the safety of his shop and the occupants that resided in the basement home below, which consisted of one niece, one nephew, and one small, mottled gray dog.

Naruto hadn't sensed or seen any traps when he had briefly scouted out the building the day before is attempted caper, so it was with an unusual carelessness that he had entered the shop through a smoke-darkened skylight.

As soon as Naruto's foot touched the floor brilliantly glowing, jaggedly-shaped, electric blue lines began to spread rapidly from his point of contact with the cement floor. Naruto recognized an activating seal array, even if he didn't know this particular seal's effects. He hadn't been prepared to find out either and had attempted to leap straight back up through the skylight.

He never got a chance. Arcs of electricity lanced into him, sending burning pain through him before he'd even had time to funnel chakra into his calves, ankles, and feet for the jump. The result was a rather crispy and decidedly unconscious Naruto.

When he'd managed to come around he found himself roped to a chair in the very place he'd collapsed. Naruto had always been extremely hardy, bouncing back from blows that rightfully should have put him out for a few hours. As such Naruto was relatively uninjured, feeling nothing more that a numbness in his fingertips and slight disorientation. His clothing, however, had multiple patches of blackened fabric.

Looking up at the narrow strip of stars that he could see through the aperture high above, Naruto estimated that he'd only been dead to the world for about an hour.

Soon the young boys attention had been stolen by the man he would later come to know as his personal tormentor. Naruto eyed the man warily as he flipped the light switch, causing Naruto to wince as the darkness was replaced with harsh lights. The Demon Jailor examined the psycho would pay to have that kind protection put up in a smithy. That fuinjutsu had to be atleast B-Rank, and would have been ridiculously expensive to set up considering it's size.

The well muscled, if top heavy, man stopped less than a foot from the blond and leaned forward, eyes roaming as he inspected is captive. Naruto had glared, furious at himself for getting caught, and at this paranoid prick for tying him up. Naruto couldn't stand to be physically restrained. It pissed him off, and if he were to be honest, scared him more than a bit.

This anger quickly spilled over his lips, "Mind backing up a bit, baldy? Your breath is making me nauseous."

The man had pursed his lips, eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the whisker marks adorning Naruto's cheeks.

Naruto tried again, "The hell are you looking at? Let me go already! And what the fuck possessed you to put a B-Rank trap seal in this piece of shit shop anyway?"

The man straightened with a scowl, "A-Rank, and I want a refund. I was guaranteed that it would incapacitate an adult for atleast three days, with severe burns, yet here you are being a noisy little brat after barely an hour, and with hardly a mark on you to boot."

Naruto's eyes widened comically, "That could have killed me! What is wrong with you?!"

A dark eyebrow went up, "You broke into my shop, punk, or did you forget that?"

Naruto glared sullenly, not quite pouting. So what if he'd forgotten that tiny detail. Something came to his attention as he examined the tall, well-built man that loomed over him.

"Why are you wearing a dress, akujo?"

The man colored slightly, eyes darkening angrily, "It's a sleeping gown, punk! And don't you have more important questions to be asking, considering the situation?"

Naruto tilted his head, eyes squinting up at his captor, "Nah, Kawarimi no Jutsu!"

Naruto grinned as he released the hand sign he'd been holding behind his back. He looked at the man who was now tied to the chair in his place. The bindings were far too small, and were already snapping under the strain of wrapping themselves around the proprietor's broad shoulders.

Said proprietor was currently glaring bloody murderously at the blond as he worked to free himself. Naruto promptly stuck out his tongue. The man began cursing and struggling to free himself. Laughing, the freed boy fled the scene, quickly making his way home, where he slipped into his room and slept off the excitement of the night.

He'd woken the next morning feeling cheerful, proud of himself for his perfectly executed escape. Whistling a tune he'd made his way to the kitchen, prepared to fill his growling stomach until is burst. His appetite died upon arrival. Sitting on the stools at the isle of the kitchen were Naruto's sensei and the bald bastard from the night before.

They were talking comfortably over tea, as if old friends. Naruto was attempting to slip unnoticed back into his room, when his mentor's voice rolled out.

"Naruto-kun. Why don't you join me?" though worded as a suggestion, his voice held the unmistakable timbre of command.

Wordlessly, Naruto slid onto the stool next to his teacher, his face schooled into a mask. Both of the older men turned towards him. Sarutobi-sensei wearing a frown, and the blacksmith staring at him dispassionately.

After a moment Sarutobi turned to the other man, smiling slightly, "Thank you, it shall be as we discussed. I'll handle the boy from here. You won't be insulted, I hope, if I don't show you out? These old bones don't move as well as they once did."

"Not at all, Hokage-sama. Thank you for your time and tea."

"And thank you for your understanding."

With a small bow to Sandaime the blacksmith left, doffing a straw hat as he went to protect his bald pate from the scorching summer sun. Naruto sat through this all, quietly awaiting his mentor's punishment.

A wrinkled, mottled hand grasped Naruto's shoulder, the grip was just short of painful, and the unexpected action caused the boy to flinch involuntarily. What followed was an insightful and so very long lecture on honor codes, morality, and right and wrong in the world of ninja, during which Naruto was expected to maintain stiff posture, eye contact, and to participate in a discussion, afterward.

For a child as energetic as Naruto had been this was tantamount to slow, painful torture. Finally the droning lecture had come to an end, but it soon became apparent that the old man ad more in store.

"As compensation for your actions, which triggered an expensive jutsu that will have to be recharged, you will be required to work at the blacksmith for the remainder of the summer."

Naruto made to protest, "But what about my training!?"

"As we agreed, the blacksmith will also not press charges if this is agreed to. If he were to do so then the very least of your punishments would be expulsion from the Academy. Naruto, you know your unique circumstances would not allow you to fare well before a judiciary council made up of civilians as it would be, since you are not yet a ninja. You don't have any other options."

Naruto frowned harshly, ducking his head to avoid his teacher's hard gaze as he struggled to find some way out. Sarutobi-sensei was right, of course, and by noon he was donning a slate gray, extremely sturdy apron inside the smithy.

Face blank, but eyes holding more than a little amusement, the Smith handed him a broom then gestured to the floor. Scowling blackly, Naruto began his enforced labor. After about a week, Naruto was shifted from menial chores to pumping bellows, and other minor duties with the actual smithing. This wasn't due so much to the Smith gaining respect for the boy as one of is apprentices having three of his fingers crushed the day before.

Eventually Naruto stopped sulking long enough to realize that he rather enjoyed helping to create things. Though the young apprentices, who were all nearly twice his age, largely ignored him except to bark gruff orders, Naruto still took some small pride when the Smith appraised items that he had helped make and judged them worthy to sell.

A week after that, while his apprentices were off to lunch, the Smith showed Naruto the sealing jutsu on the floor, which was revealed when the bulky man shined a purple light onto the concrete floor. Naruto was awed by it's sheer size. The Smith cuffed him lightly on the shoulder and pointed to a spot, midway up the eastern wall, where many line seemed to converge into a pyramid shape.

The blond looked questioningly at the Smith, who cast an annoyed glance at the boy.

"Well? You're supposed to be a ninja, right? Recharge the seal, brat."

"Idiot, jyosou. I'm still in the Academy, I don't know how to do tat type of stuff yet."

The Smith grunted, "You triggered it, you charge it. Figure it out, if you can't you're paying for it. Unless you'd prefer to go to trial..." the Smith drawled with a triumphant smirk.

"That's blackmail, you bastard! What kind of adult blackmails a kid?"

"The kind of adult who doesn't like noisy little brats breaking into his shop in the middle of the night! What kind of kid does that?"

"The kind that all the moronic adults refuse to sell stuff to!" Naruto retorted hotly.

Eyebrows went up, "Did you even try to buy something here before you broke in last night?"

The blond snorted, "I've had enough experience with you people to know better, do you really expect me to believe that you'd actually be willing to do business with the 'Pariah of Konoha?'" came the embittered reply.

"Certainly not if anyone saw you here, be bad for business, but then aren't ninja supposed to be unseen and unheard?" With that the man departed for the basement that led down into his home beneath the shop.

Snarling impotently at the wall and the seal covering it's lower half Naruto violently began pulling chakra from his core. Placing a hand on the wall he pushed as much as he could at the seal, not really knowing what else to try.

Nothing seemed to occur at first, but then his sharp eyes caught the tip of the pyramid turning blue. He released the flow of chakra and leaned close to the Battery Seal. Only the top two levels now glowed a faint blue. Naruto quickly began counting the levels. Twenty-six. Twenty-six! This thing would take weeks to fill to capacity, considering the two he'd just filled were the smallest two with enough chakra to power atleast two C-Rank ninjutsu.

Naruto groaned into the empty shop.

Over the next six weeks Naruto an the Smith formed something of a bond of mutual stubbornness. They'd argue and insult one another at every opportunity, but they eventually lost the heat as Naruto found that he respected the Smith's commitment to perfection, and the Smith saw Naruto's genuine enjoyment of his craft.

Naruto, for his part, learned several valuable lessons outside of the knowledge to make his own projectiles and small blades. The greatest of these had been patience, something he'd ever had trouble with, much to Sarutobi-sensei's disgruntlement. His time watching the Apprentices, Journeymen, and the Master Smith himself had gone a long way towards teaching the boisterous child the benefits of observation.

It had also served to boost his chakra control and reserves, as he soon learned, funneling chakra into the seal worked a great deal more efficiently than pushing chakra at the wall and hoping for the best.

The result was a much calmer Naruto. A change Sarutobi took great pains to point out. Repeatedly.

* * *

"Move it, brat, before someone comes in!" 

Naruto blinked, realizing he had zoned out while staring at the deceptively blank wall that he knew held the Battery Seal for the shops defensive fuinjutsu.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a twist, jyosou, I'm coming." Naruto replied as he joined the Smith in the front of the shop, which was where orders were made and picked up.

The Smith was seated behind a display case that doubled as a counter. This room housed only the finest works he and his students had crafted: mostly weapons, or the occasional tool set. The windows here were bright and clear, kept clean as they were by newer apprentices.

The Smith was all business, "So what do you need? You cost me money when you come here, since I have to close the shop to prevent anyone from seeing you. Maybe I should add the cost to your purchase this time."

The Smith was downright predictable at times, "You say that every time I come here, idiot. Learn something new. Please. For my sake."

Naruto smiled at the Smith's scowl before capitulating and pulling his staff over his shoulder and lying it before the Smith, "I want four steel bands for this staff, each about a foot long," he gestured with separated hands, "here, here, here, and here," he said gesturing at two spots on the shaft equidistant from the grip.

"Non-reflective, of course. I'd suggest letting the two bands on the ends cover the tops of the staff," he hefted the weapon, testing balance and weight, "A fine weapon. I'll take good care of her, I see now why you didn't try this yourself. An unexperienced brute like you would ruin this stave," he drew a measuring tape and notepad from an apron pocket, quickly taking measurements and jotting them down. When he was done he handed the staff to Naruto.

"I can be done with this in about ten days, come pick it up then. Now go away, I have a store to run."

Naruto nodded his assent and waved as he re-harnessed the staff. Waving over his shoulder at the Smith, who was busy unfastening the multitude of locks that adorned the shop's front door, Naruto departed the way he came.

Outside the clouds had finally begun to drop it's heavy burden. Naruto grumbled and darted towards home, hoping to avoid becoming totally drenched by the coin-sized raindrops. Thankfully it wasn't yet raining closer to the Clan District, though with the wind picking up it was only a matter of time.

Naruto dropped down to the main thoroughfare that led to and from the District. In more clement weather the street was often bustling with tourists, come to see the gigantic, and often ornate, clan houses. Some clans, mainly the merchant and nobles, even gave tours, for a price.

Naruto stopped as he neared a high gate of iron. The granite walls adjacent to the ornate work were marked with a crimson and pearl fans, gleaming proudly against the light gray of the tall walls. Naruto bowed, offering up a short prayer for the dead.

His time with the Smith had shown him that it was a mistake to label a group by the individual actions of some of its members. Just because the Uchiha he'd sometimes encountered in his run ins with the Konoha Military Police were assholes didn't mean they were all high minded imbeciles. So he said a silent prayer to those Uchiha who weren't rotting in hell and made to move on.

He was halted, however, by a pair of smoldering eyes the color of deepest night.

Sasuke's face seemed pale and angular in the washed out light of the approaching rainstorm. His entire body was coiled so tightly Naruto was surprised his spine hadn't snapped from the tension. The Uchiha scion's right hand was clenching the hilt of the wakizashi that rode his hip. His knuckles were white with the tightness of his grip.

Naruto noted all of this, from set of shoulders to position of feet to the moderate amount intent to do harm coming from the raven haired boy, all in the blink of an eye. In response he relaxed his own stance as much as he dared. Stuffing hands in his pockets Naruto tilted his head back, gazing up at the sky. Droplets of ice cold water had begun to fall.

"Some weather today, almost feels like winter," he said casually.

"What are you doing here, Uzumaki?" Apparently Sasuke didn't feel like small talk today.

Parrying the question, Naruto asked, "How is your sensei? Must be something, to be taught by the Legendary Copy-Nin."

Sasuke snorted, allowing his posture to relax a fraction, "Legendary? His fame all comes from that blasphemous eye he keeps hidden behind his hitai-ate all the time. Without the Sharingan he'd be worthless as an instructor and shinobi. Even with my clan's doujutsu I doubt he's all that strong, compared to a true Uchiha."

Angered by the insult, Naruto retorted, "Which is why he reached Genin at seven, far before you," Naruto paused for effect, "or Itachi, the genius and prodigal son of the mighty Uchiha clan."

Sasuke seized up, body shaking with rage, "Don't ever speak that name in my presence," a threatening step forward punctuated his next statement, "And a clan-less, parent-less bastard such as you should never presume to know anything of the Uchiha."

The barb didn't have the desired effect. Naruto laughed, having heard far worse over the years, "If all of the Uchiha were as presumptuous and downright idiotic as you are then it seems my prayer will fall on deaf ears. Ever consider that what Itachi did was less of a massacre and more of a divine judgment?"

Sasuke was moving before the last syllable faded from the air, and a short-blade swept lightning quick at Naruto's head. For all his speed, Naruto was the faster of the two. He ducked under the blow, twisting into Sasuke's guard and delivering a side kick that sent the dark haired Genin skidding back several feet.  
The first exchange over, the two boys took one another's measure. The rain began to fall in earnest, creating treacherous footing on the cobblestone path.

"Pathetic, Sasuke. Just because you still don't have the Sharingan is no reason for you to be so slow."

Sasuke snarled flipped his sword to a reverse grip, the blade now extending below his smallest finger, proving that the Genin did have some acuity with the weapon, before rushing in again. Naruto sidestepped the first swipe, only to receive a rising knee to the diaphragm that left him slightly breathless.

Flipping with the momentum of the blow to less ten impact, Naruto turned a reverse handspring, moving him out of Sasuke's immediate range. Sasuke switched the blade again as he attempted a straight thrust at the blond's midsection, hoping to catch him off guard.

The thrust failed, and the Uchiha found himself weaponless as a powerful turning kick connected with his knuckles. This was quickly followed by a spinning back side kick that planted Naruto's foot square in the Uchiha's belly.

Air exploded from the raven-hair boy's mouth as he was thrown back towards the Uchiha crested wall. Naruto's opponent recovered quickly, feet absorbing the impact on the wall and adhering there with chakra.

Livid Stygian eyes glared down at amused Seraphic orbs.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu !"

"Oho, getting serious are we?" Naruto taunted.

Rain hissed and evaporated as a fireball the size of a carriage bulled towards the Demon Jailor. Naruto blinked at the size. Talk about overkill. Ignoring such irrelevant thoughts, Naruto charged his legs with chakra and vaulted over the flashy jutsu as it crashed into the water slicked stones with a dull roar.

He dropped like a stone towards where he saw Sasuke peering into the steam from his technique, hands raised and clasped to deliver a punishing hammer strike to his foe's head. Much to his surprise the blow passed straight through the smirking image of the year's top Genin.

Overbalanced, Naruto was caught unprepared when a heel crashed into his chin, sending him arcing to the hard ground. He spat, blood from his split lip dying the quickly washed away saliva a pale pink. Flipping adroitly to his feet, the blond Genin searched for his missing adversary.

A chakra presence flared nearby behind him, signifying that a jutsu was imminent. Naruto grinned as he spun, hands rapidly running through seals.

"Suiton: Teppōdama!"

The aqueous missile parted Sasuke's rain-weakened stream of fire with ridiculous ease, but the Uchiha dodged with a high back flip, leaving a helpless tree as the unintended victim of Naruto's technique. With a shudder and groan the trunk snapped and the once mighty Ash collapsed brokenly against the wall of the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke landed lightly on the trunk of the fallen tree, only to have his vision dominated by a blur of golden hair and furious jabs. A frenzied exchange of taijutsu took place on the tree trunk, until a speedy sweep kick stole the Uchiha's balance, allowing Naruto to grab the front of his shirt and bodily throw him over his shoulder and off the tree. Sasuke rolled with his landing, coming easily back to his feet, and ignoring the protest of his bruised left shoulder.

"Sasuke-kun?" an obviously female voice called.

Both boys turned to the source. Huddled under one large umbrella were Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura. The two girls stopped in unison as they surveyed their surroundings. The broken tree, upon which Naruto was still perched, the circle of blackened stone next to the Uchiha gate, and the disheveled appearance of both boys.

The girls rushed over to Sasuke. Sakura made to check the boy's injuries, but was shrugged off. Sasuke found his sword and sheathed it, then walked to the entrance to his clan compound, but before entering stopped to cast a baleful glare in Naruto's direction.

"Stay away from here, Uzumaki. I won't hold back the next time we meet," without waiting for his reply the Uchiha slipped inside and was gone.

Naruto snorted and hopped down from the tree. Rain-proofed fabric prevented him from becoming soaked, but didn't do as much to stop the chill. He sneezed.

Wanting to get home to warmer environs, Naruto made to depart, but the two girls, whom he'd more or less ignored since they'd appeared, moved to block his path.

"What do you think you're doing, bothering Sasuke-kun! And here of all places? Don't you know what happened here? Have you no sympathy?" Sakura hissed, eyes narrowed wit accusation.

Naruto struck a thoughtful pose, "Not for weaklings."

Green eyes widened in outrage, "Sasuke-kun is not weak! He's the strongest ninja in our generation, and an acknowledged genius, which is far more than anyone has ever said of you!"

"And you," Naruto continued as if he hadn't heard a word, "being even weaker, are in no position to judge anyone's skill."

Ino decided to barge in at this point, "Which, of course, is why you're Top Rookie!" she paused mockingly, "Oh wait! That's Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura shot her blonde haired friend a triumphant look before turning back to confront Naruto, "Yeah, how do you explain that, Uzumaki?"

"Simple. It's because I'm a shinobi and he isn't."

Naruto shouldered past the two kunoichi, is adrenaline from the fight had waned, and he'd become bored of the pointless argument. Behind him he heard a short, if heated discussion going on between the two girls. Soon he heard splashing footsteps.

"What did you mean back there, Naruto? Of course, Sasuke is a shinobi, the best I've ever seen for his age!"

The blond glanced at Ino out of the corner of his eye, his typical cool demeanor back in place, "You should pay more attention then, Ino-san. Is there a reason you're following me?"

Defensively she replied, "Sakura wanted to see if Sasuke-kun would let her in for tea, but he won't."

"Personal experience?"

Ino flushed but didn't respond to the jibe.

"None of that explains why you're walking here with me."

"You don't own the street! My house is this way too, you know?" Ino countered.

Naruto snorted, but said nothing, only increasing his pace. Ino matched his stride, which wasn't difficult as they were of a height. Naruto examined his fellow blonde out of the corner of his eye. She was soaking wet by now, her purple outfit turned nearly black with wetness. Her hair clung to her skull, and her lips and cheeks were rapidly losing color.

Naruto frowned as they came upon the diverging avenue that led to his home. The Yamanaka complex was still some distance ahead, and his new teammate was weighted down with sopping wet baggage. Taking her by the elbow he steered the surprised girl down his street.

Surprise was quickly replaced by annoyance, "What do you think you're doing, Naruto? My house is the other way, and I need to get home and dry. We have a team meeting in a couple of hours, you know."

"That's the point, it'd be detrimental to our test if you were to catch cold because you decided to stay out shopping too long. Come dry off and we'll go to the meeting afterward, or you can go home once you're not as likely to catch pneumonia." Naruto replied.

Ino stared at him oddly, but stopped protesting. She did wrench her arm from his grasp, though.

Entering the manor, Naruto was relieved to find the heat on and the house warm and inviting. His guest sighed with relief. Naruto sniffed, his nose not finding the pungent smell of tobacco that would have indicated his teacher's presence.

Relieved that he wouldn't have to explain to the perverted old man, he gestured for Ino to leave her bags by the front door, Naruto showed her to the bathroom. Pulling an armload of thick woolen towels from the hall closet, he pushed half of them in after Ino and shut the door.

Taking his share of towels to his room he quickly stripped free of his wet clammy clothing, leaving a dripping pile on the floor. Toweling himself thoroughly dry he quickly changed into an outfit similar to his standard shinobi uniform, only in blacks and grays. Leaving his headband off to dry, he clambered upstairs to dump his clothes in the laundry. Not that he or his sensei ever bothered with laundry themselves, preferring to have it taken down to the dry cleaners.

Hair still slightly damp, Naruto set about making a pot of spicy black tea. The pervasive aroma of imported chai filled the house, it's scent finally drawing Ino from the hall bathroom. She was engulfed in one of the fluffy pastel colored bathrobes that perpetually occupied the bathrooms of the manor. Naruto and Sarutobi-sensei were far too manly to even consider using them, atleast not when the other was home.

The one Ino had selected was a light green. Her straw colored hair hung wet and lank over her left shoulder, and she furiously rubbed it's length between two fists full of thick towel. Apparently finished, though her hair was as wet as before, she let the towel ride her shoulder as she plopped down on a barstool.

"This is quite a place, Naruto," she looked around, "rather spartan, but I suppose that's to be expected with two men living here."

"Giving up life as a kunoichi for the thrills and adventure of interior design? While grievously hurt at the loss of such a capable teammate," Naruto held a hand to his chest and lowered his head, as if his heart were breaking, "I would still support you one hundred percent."

"This cheek of yours is surprising considering you never did anything at the Academy aside from staring at the wall like a brain dead vegetable," Ino replied in an equally mocking tone.

They both felt too refreshed for any actual insults, but teasing wasn't beyond them. Naruto poured two mugs of tea and slid one skidding across the counter to smack into Ino's waiting palm.

"Take my word for it, staring at the wall is far more stimulating that staring at Sasuke-kun all the time."

Ino arched an eyebrow, but didn't reply, busy as she was blowing on her steaming tea. Naruto, who preferred his tea scalding, merely smirked as he took a large gulp.

"You're nuts, Uzumaki,"

Naruto shrugged and sipped at is tea, rather than chugging, wanting to savor the heat flowing through his body from his stomach. Ino took a tentative sip, and, finding the temperature more to her liking, drank more.

"What kind of tea is this? It's good, and I've never had it before" the female blond remarked.

"The kind that you drink, I believe," Naruto quipped, before relenting under Ino's glare, "it's a special import from Tea Country. Sarutobi-sensei knows a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy."

"I don't suppose this guy would be willing to do business with others?" Ino asked hopefully.

"You'd have to talk to Sarutobi-sensei for that, good luck with that tough, even I hardly see him anymore these days."

"Why is that?"

"You ask a lot of questions, you know." Naruto supplied, dodging the subject.

"I'm from a Clan full of Intel specs; it's in the blood." Ino responded, voice tinged with no small amount of pride.

Naruto dropped his drained cup in the sink, which still contained the morning's dishes. Stretching he went to the window to see how the weather was coming along. Fortunately the rain seemed to be letting up, as the clouds abandoned the Village for the forest to the east.

"The rain seems to be letting up, so atleast we won't have to fight Anko-san in the wet and cold," Naruto said as he turned, "You should be able to head home in a few minutes."

Ino's brow creased, but quickly smoothed as she nodded, "Then I'll go get out of your bathrobe and into some actual clothes."

Naruto agreed as Ino headed out into the hall to rifle through her bags until she found what she wanted. While she did that Naruto went upstairs to his sensei's massive study, which contained innumerable books, scrolls, and antique weaponry.

Crossing the springy, dark blue carpet to the sizable oak desk, Naruto delved into the top right drawer until he found the jar of polish he desired. He closed the door behind him as he left the room and descended the stairs. Taking up his staff from where he'd left it by the door, he moved to the living room just off the entrance hall, opposite of the kitchen and began working the polish into the wood with a soft oil cloth.

Ino soon arrived, wearing dark blue jeans, and a purple blouse, over which she wore a jean jacket. She stopped at the doorway, taking in Naruto and the rather cozy room in which he sat.

The walls were painted a deep, rusty red, though it could hardly be seen for all the remarkably well done tapestries depicting flora and fauna native to the region that hung from the walls. The hardwood floorboards held the rich golden hue of honey. A large rug dominated the center of the room, and was clearly the centerpiece of the living room, as it showed an intricately detailed view of Konoha itself from a distance.

Framing the one-of-a-kind rug on one side were two inviting leather armchairs, one of which Ino gratefully sank into as she finished her examination of the room. Naruto sat on a long, low couch that sat opposite the two armchairs, his staff balanced across his knees as he worked the wood with long, even strokes. Behind him were three bookshelves of middling height, made of the same wood as the floor and, the massive amount of books they contained were sequestered behind glass doors.

A ceiling fan rotated lazily above, making a small click with every rotation. All in all it made for a surprisingly inviting room. Ino decided that a woman had decorated this room at some point.

Naruto finally put his staff aside and stood. Ino stood as well, and Naruto allowed her to precede him to the door. He had learned some manners, after all. At the door, Ino stooped to collect her bags before straightening. She turned to Naruto and genuinely thanked him for his courtesy.

Naruto shrugged, unused to such gestures, and opened the door for his teammate. The rain had passed completely by that point, though everything was still wet, and the air smelled of damp grass. Sunlight streamed down to bathe the Village and its inhabitants in warmth, as if trying to make up for lost time.

"See you in a couple hours, Ino." he said politely and a bit distantly, somewhat perturbed as he was by how easily he and the girl had interacted.

Somehow sensing his discomfiture, Ino gave a small awkward smile and gave a short wave, then turned to leave. Naruto closed the door behind him and retreated to his room, hoping to shake the odd emotions by preparing for the upcoming battle with Anko.

An hour and forty-five minutes of straight meditation later left Naruto feeling calmed, focused, and ready to meet any challenges. His chakra responded nimbly to his thoughts and will as he slipped outside and channeled energy into his legs. As was his habit, he dashed along fences and rooftops to reach his destination. Smoothly landing, rolling, and leaping towards the grassy sward that would come to be Team 12's meeting place.

As he neared the park he slowed to a more stealthy speed. If Anko was their opponent then it would be foolish to openly reveal his approach. Kneeling in the branches of a tall oak, Naruto made sure that he was adequately hidden before closing his eyes and forcing his senses outward.

There were already three chakra signatures in the park, one a great deal larger than the other two, though still a significant amount less than his own chakra reservoir . The larger signature of the two Genin kunoichi was probably Hinata, as taijutsu of any style was chakra intensive, and the Gentle Fist Style of the Hyuuga even more so.

Deciding that he'd have to forgo the element of surprise in favor of starting the test, Naruto concentrated before using Shunshin no jutsu to cover the remaining distance in the blink of an eye. He still couldn't use the technique as quickly as he'd like.

Ino and Hinata were startled by his sudden appearance, cause them both to leap back from where he'd arrived between them. Naruto ignored them and examined Anko, who seemed to register Naruto's ability before dismissing it as unimportant.

"Good, you're all here on time," her voice was calm, lacking in any inflection as she surveyed her pupils, "However, you've made a critical mistake in revealing yourselves to me, knowing that I am your opponent. It is excusable in this situation, however I wouldn't advise making any assumptions about your enemies in the future. They will get you killed."

The Genin were more than a little surprised by this one-eighty in Anko's attitude. Her formerly expressive eyes and face, though alert, now held all the life of a marble statue. Her language had become concise, formal, and her voice flat.

Where she had lounged the previous day, she stood today. Her stance was relaxed yet ready to respond in a deadly instant. Her very presence seemed to exude the coiled power of a predator lying in ambush.

Naruto recognized the statement for what it was, and his respect for the kunoichi raised significantly in those few moments.

Hinata spoke up, "Gomen, sensei. We'll be more vigilant in the future." the girl actually sounded contrite!

Maybe Anko wouldn't be so bad to have around after all, if she could turn the rabid little Hyuuga into a meek pup.

Anko ignored the comment, "I'll let you all in a few rules that will help you as junior ninja: Always save questions and comments until you've been briefed on your task. Never interrupt a superior unless it is imperative that you do so. There are several shinobi, particularly in ANBU, that would be happy to demote or punish you for the merest infraction or insubordination."

Anko paused to ensure that she had their attention, "Secondly: always look below the surface of whatever you are being told or are observing, rarely is anything as it appears. Use your instincts, they're correct 99 of the time, and ninja that ignore them usually end up dead because of it."

"Lastly, use all of your reason, all of your cunning, and whatever else it takes to keep you and your comrades alive. We're ninja, not bull-headed samurai with their honor codes and 'to-the-death' battles. If you're outmatched, then retreat. Straight battles are the direct opposite of the way we operate. You want to kill as quickly and quietly as you possibly can, then disappear without a trace."

"Being a Genin is perhaps the most dangerous time for a ninja of a major village. Enemy shinobi of any rank and from any Hidden Village can and will attempt to kill you to prevent Konoha from gaining strong shinobi down the road. This is especially true for you, Ino and Hinata. Outside of Fire Country your clans are well known and well hated for their abilities, so keep everything I've told you in mind."

"Hai, sensei," all three Genin intoned.

"Now we come to the test. Your task will be to capture me before I am able to escape the walls on the far side of village. Since I have the advantages of experience and skill I will be confining myself to the streets and the use of rather simple techniques that you should be able to counter or learn to counter. You three, on the other hand, are under no restrictions, as you are to subdue me by any means necessary. You will also have to be wary of civilians, structures, and collateral damage. Remember, it is far more difficult to capture than to kill. Are there any questions?"

"Yes, sensei!" Ino spoke up, her face revealing apprehension, "What happens if bystanders do get hurt?"

Anko smiled mirthlessly, "Well you had better just not let that happen," she met each one of their gazes evenly, then pulled a set of short-wave communication devices from somewhere in her coat, passing them out she said, "You have five minutes to prepare, I suggest you form a plan."

Naruto nodded sharply and took both girls by the elbow and forcibly walked them a safe distance away from Anko. Surprised by the action, the kunoichi didn't think to protest until they were already well away from their sensei.

The blond grunted as Hinata punched him hard in the arm, once he'd released them. Ino, more used to his manhandling ways, settled for frowning harshly.

"What's the big idea, Uzumaki?" The blue haired girl growled.

"Start stretching," Naruto ignored Hinata and followed his own advice.

"That was fairly unnecessary, Naruto. You could have just asked," Ino remarked.

"Fine, I apologize. Now stretch, please, while we think of a plan."

Ino's glare let up with his apology, and she complied. Hinata, after getting in a few more seconds of quality glowering, followed suit. They talked as they stretched, trying to formulate a workable plan to trap the Jounin kunoichi.

Hinata for once was attempting to be civil, "I should be able to keep track of her rather easily with my Byakugan, My range is only about half a mile though, so we'll need to follow quickly."

Naruto nodded his assent to this idea and turned to Ino, "What about your clan techniques, Ino-san?" the sole male member of the team asked.

"Well," she hesitated, "I'm not too proficient in the clan's taijutsu style, as it's usually reserved for older Yamanaka, though I know the basics. My true specialty is our mind techniques--"

And so it went, Naruto's took in what he had available to him and made a rough sketch of the plan in the dirt. Ino and Hinata allowed Naruto to assume the position of leadership without even realizing it. Naruto quickly erased the image with a foot as he sensed Anko approaching.

"Time's up. Let's begin."

Four figures blurred out of sight, the displaced air of their departure blowing through the leaves and high grass the only sign of their departure.

* * *

Static crackled in Naruto's left ear as he walked purposefully through the myriad of streets and alleys that bordered the larger main avenue of Konoha's Main street. He was covered with a subtle Henge technique, similar to the one he'd used the previous day to go to a restaurant. 

"Naruto," Hinata's voice came through the ear-piece, "Come in."

"I'm here. What is our target's position?" he was careful to keep his hand away from his ear and his lips turned away from the people walking along the street.

"One block southeast of your position. Contact point will need to shift to the east one street, I've already informed Ino, and she is in position. We're ready when you are."

"Acknowledged, you know what to do from here."

Naruto cut the channel and slipped down a narrow alley. Once at the new location Naruto quickly loosened cobblestones in the middle of the street, making sure no one was looking is way, he stuck thin sheets of papers to the undersides of the stones and replaced them.

As he retreated to a nearby rooftop an icy feeling of dread slowly crept up his spine; hair raised on his forearms and neck. Naruto shook off the sensation, watching as the narrow path below quickly cleared of civilians, who cast wary, fearful glances over their hunched shoulders as they made haste to evacuate the area.

Naruto allowed himself a small smile. So far so good. Naruto had had to use the Body Flicker Technique five times to outflank the fast moving Anko quickly enough to set up this ambush.

Soon the sounds of furious fighting spilled into the unnaturally quiet street. Soon a woman, clad in nondescript shades of brown, leapt backwards into the street, feet sliding as she crouched to halt her momentum.

A blue blur came flying out of the alley that the first figure had just come from. Hinata's face was a mask of frustration as she tried in vain to land a blow on her opponent. The dark haired woman, Anko under a Transformation jutsu, dodged and parried the blows with the darting agility of a serpent.

Down the street they clashed again and again. Anko falling back, and the Hyuuga Heiress rushing in to close with their foe. In moments they were fighting in the center of the street directly in front of Naruto's hiding place.

Without warning Hinata's legs coiled beneath her and she sprung high into the air. A crackling hissing noise reached Naruto's keen ears.

The street exploded, sending chunks of rock careening in every direction. Several windows shattered as speeding stone crashed through them.

Looking up, Naruto spied Hinata, who had been buffeted higher by the force of the explosion. Just below her and gaining rapidly soared the smoking figure of Anko, whose Henge had fallen. As the Jounin approached the other girl she reached out lightning quick and grabbed the Hyuuga's ankle before rotating horizontally and flinging her back down to earth.

Naruto cursed as he was forced to abandon his part in the plan to save Hinata. Bounding forward from his position, hurtling on an intercept course with his plummeting teammate. The blond heard the whoosh of air as his shoulder impacted with the girl's midsection. At a much reduced velocity they descended to the roof on the opposite side of the street. Setting Hinata on her feet upon the tiled roof Naruto spun to catch sight of his target.

Blue eyes scanned the skies above the shallow, if still smoking crater in the street, with raptor intensity. A flock of kunai flew upward from out of the smoke, only to bounce from Anko's thick coat as the tall woman descended, eyes boring into the smoking ring below from whence the projectiles had come.

Ino. Naruto could just make her out as she stared intently up at the descending kunoichi. Her hands were locked in a strange rectangular seal. Lips formed inaudible words and suddenly her body collapsed like a house of cards just as Anko dropped down on her, throwing up a veil of dust from the impact.

Dropping down from the roof the Pariah approached quickly, yet warily, unsure of what had just occurred. That Ino had attempted a jutsu seemed obvious, yet he was ignorant of it's effects. Anko, carrying the limp form of Ino, appeared out of the haze just as Naruto was about to rush into it. Both were covered with dust and grime, though Anko seemed to be worse off, with various little scratches across the skin not covered by her coat or metallic bodysuit. The end of said coat was a full foot shorter than it had been, it's bottom portion having been shredded and burned by the explosion.

Stopping a couple of yard from Naruto, who had jumped backwards as soon as he had caught sight of her, Anko laid Ino's unconscious body down with care, which confused Naruto. The Jounin straightened and seemed to shake herself, before smiling victoriously at the blond Genin.

"It's okay, Naruto, it's me, Ino. My Mind Body Swap Technique was a success!" pride seemed to radiate from the girl.

Ino-in-Anko's expression change from triumphant to alarm as her hands raised to grip the sides of her head.

"Tie her quick! She's going to eject me soon, and she is pissed!" Ino-in-Anko managed to grind out between clenched teeth.

Naruto hurried forward, pulling a roll of wire from his hip pouch as he did so. A groggy moan warned him of the danger, but too late as he felt his arms and legs bound tightly together by incredibly strong rope. Moving rope?

Naruto looked down, discovering that he was so tightly constricting by writhing, brightly colored, and distinctly poisonous looking snakes. One, a venomous purple color, coiled sinisterly around his neck, it's forked tongue caressing his jugular. He traced their lengths to find that their tails were wrapped around Anko's hand and wrist like so many serpentine lassos.

Anko pulled, and Naruto, unable to balance himself due to the muscled coils of reptile flesh around his legs, toppled over onto his side. With both hands she dragged him across the ground until he'd come to rest at her feet.

She stared down at him dispassionately, "You should have known better than to fall for that act, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto didn't respond, knowing she was right, besides he was having a bit of trouble simply drawing breath at the moment.

A rush of air ruffled his hair, and Naruto turned his head to find that Hinata had grabbed a recovering Ino and moved to a safe distance. The blue-haired Hyuuga stood ready for battle, while Ino climbed unsteadily to one knee.

Anko turned fully to them, letting the snakes fall from her hand to wrap yet more tightly around Naruto, who labored to take deep, steady breaths as the snakes slowly cut of his air supply.

"You've failed. Your teammate is captured, and can be killed at my whim. Cooperate and let me leave without trouble, and I will spare his life. Interfere with my escape and he dies, slowly and painfully. There is no anti-venom for these summoned snakes, and they agitate quite easily," Anko's voice was as frigid as a glacier as she delivered her ultimatum.

Hinata charged.

Naruto stifled a sigh. Stupid bitch is going to get me killed. Anko's stance did not change a hair, save for the arm that raised to deliver a backhand blow to Hinata's cheek with enough force to send her spinning to the ground. She jumped back up almost immediately, wiping blood from her mouth as she engaged Anko once more in a taijutsu bout.

The younger girl was hopelessly outmatched, but this didn't seem to register in her mind as she threw strike after strike. Behind them, Ino watched helplessly, as there was no way to utilize her jutsu without risking injury to Hinata and worsening the situation further.

Naruto snarled, combating the feeling of uselessness that was trying to overcome him. He channeled a burst of chakra to his hip. Immediately the crackling and hissing of activated Explosive Tags was heard from within his pouch.

The summoned snakes, having some degree of intelligence and self-preservation quickly attempted to uncoil themselves from around Naruto, but not quickly enough. Not by far.

A second, if much smaller, explosion rocked the small street, and Naruto released a howl that was part exultation, part agony as his entire right side was consumed by molten fire. He was unaware of being blown clean through the wall of a nearby building. Splinters and bits of plaster rained down on him as he climbed to his feet within the wreckage. A bloody grin split his lips as he felt the blood steadily flowing down his arm, and side. A jagged piece of lumber had cut out a large gash from right cheek to the corner of his mouth.

His clothing hung from him in scorched, bloody tatters, just barely covering his lower abdomen and not much else. His entire right side was an inflamed angry red. Skin began crawling slowly down his arm as his cells multiplied and healed him at an extraordinary rate.

A terrified scream brought his attention to the young woman who had apparently just entered the room from somewhere in the back of the building. He presented her with his most charming smile. She turned and fled, still screaming at the top of her lungs as if the hounds of hell were hot on her heels. Naruto turned his attention back to his battle. His fight. A fury, at once hot and cold, took hold of him.

Through the gaping hole his carcass had made in the wall, Naruto could see three gaping faces. Even Anko had been taken aback by the act. Taking advantage of this Naruto used the shunshin technique to dart in below and inside Anko's guard. A vicious rising uppercut missed colliding with the surprised Jounin's chin by less than a centimeter.

Naruto didn't stop there. Spinning, a foot lashed out and tore past Anko's hastily rendered block to catch her hard in the shoulder. Not one to play purely defense, the purple-haired kunoichi responded with her own attack.

A feint had Naruto attempting to block a crescent kick that never came, which left him wide open for the absolutely punishing fist that connected with his gut. Naruto coughed blood as he was thrown back, he had no time to rest however as Anko sent more snakes streaking towards him.

Growling, Naruto strafed, a chakra-infused hand snapping out as the gaping maws of the snakes rushed past. He gripped the hissing serpents just behind their heads, then he pulled. Taken off guard by Naruto's chakra-enhanced strength, Anko was pulled from her feet and through the air. The snakes evaporated into smoke, their spines having been snapped by the tension exerted on their bodies by the brief tug-of-war.

Naruto met her half way. He pivoted sideways, balancing on on foot as his other leg cocked to deliver a devastating kick to her sternum. His timing was perfect, his form flawless but Anko wasn't a Jounin for nothing. Using her momentum, she rolled over Naruto's extended leg and attempted to deliver an odd flipping axe kick to his skull.

Reactions heightened by the chakra racing through his body, Naruto fell back onto his hands and shoulders, legs coming up beneath Anko and launching her backward.

"Hinata!"

The Hyuuga was ready, "Fool, you are within the field of my Divination. Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!"

"Two! Four! Eight!" Hinata unleashed a barrage a precision strikes from Anko's blindside, focusing her deadly technique on Anko's legs and torso. Unfortunately for the Byakugan-user Anko reoriented on her immediately and began batting her thrusting fingers to the side after the first three or four had landed.

Hinata bulled through the technique anyway, and was rewarded for her stubbornness when Anko suddenly and uncharacteristically stumbled. Naruto looked towards Ino, who had her hand formed in yet another geometrically shaped seal, this time a triangle. The girl looked to be at the point of exhausted collapse, though she sent a smile in Naruto's direction.

"Sixty-four strikes!" came Hinata's victorious shout as she took advantage of Anko's brief off balance to target the Jounin's thighs with the final volley of thrusting fingers. She followed up with a strong double palm strike that were intended to land crippling blows to Anko's femoral bones.

Unable to turn the blow aside, as she was still reeling from Ino's technique, Anko did the only thing she could do: fall. The unexpected action caused Hinata to miss entirely, stumbling forward to trip over Anko's legs and sprawl to the ground.

With absurd calm, considering she probably couldn't even feel her legs, Anko drew a kunai and held it to the base of the Hyuuga's skull, who froze as soon as she felt the weapon tickling her skin, not even daring to breathe.

Anko turned her flat eyed gaze onto Naruto, who, despite being the most visibly disheveled, wasn't even breathing hard, and Ino who seemed to be wavering on her feet with exhaustion. Naruto looked at his arm, that was completely healed at this point.

From the shortness of breath and her exhausted appearance, Naruto could tell tat Ino had little more to give. Hinata was captured, and Naruto was sure that all the use of her bloodline abilities had left her depleted of chakra. The stirring of dust from her harsh breathing was indication enough of that.

Naruto turned and faced Anko squarely, eyes hard and sharp as blue steel, "This mission has failed, but you also are in an untenable situation; trapped inside an enemy village without the means of escape. We seem to be at an impasse. Free our teammate and we will offer no further aggression towards you."

"One other condition. You must flush chakra through my legs to reopen my tenketsu. Only then will I free your teammate."

Naruto stilled. Doing that would leave him with no bargaining chips, and, even during a test, he wasn't about to trust any guarantees given to him by an enemy. Particularly when he himself had been flat out lying about not attacking the disabled woman again. Dammit. He had no options. If he flushed her tenketsu then it was unlikely he'd be able to defeat her in any case, and if he didn't...

A pained gasp brought him out of his musings. Anko had put enough pressure on the kunai for it's point to draw blood. Naruto glared.

"What will it be? Your mission or your teammate's life? If I cannot escape then atleast I can take one of you down with me," the kunai pressed harder, and Hinata yelped.

Naruto knew she was purposely taking away anytime he had to formulate a plan or examine the situation too closely. He also knew there wasn't anything he could do about it.

The blond stepped forward to meet the Jounin's ultimatum but was halted by Hinata's voice and glare, "Idiot, what do you think you're doing!? If you fix her legs there's nothing to stop her from escaping!"

Naruto's answering glare was so intense that the girl nearly flinched, "For a Hyuuga, you certainly are blind." Why couldn't she see the real issue?

A panting breath came from Ino behind him, "Naruto? You know what you're doing, right?"

Naruto replied without turning, "Just leave it to me, Ino-san."

Naruto knelt next to Anko's legs. The Jounin watched him carefully, but was otherwise still. Naruto noticed that the hand holding the kunai was steady as a rock. A slow trickle of blood ran down the sides of Hinata's neck.

Moving steadily, if slowly, Naruto peeled Anko's torn jacket away, baring long lengths of smooth olive skin over toned shapely legs. The boy ignored the instinctive and eminently male reaction to such a sight and focused on the task at hand.

"Which points?" he asked, not looking up at Anko.

"I cannot say, you'll have to flood all of them on the anterior surface of the thigh."

Naruto nodded and placed his palms lightly on Anko's upper thigh. Thankfully anything higher was hidden by the coat. Fingers splayed outwards and Naruto slowly and meticulously began layering her legs with chakra, sliding his hand up and down to make sure he covered everything. Each additional wave pushing the previous down into her legs through her tenketsu. It was a difficult process for Naruto, and he'd have been incapable of it had he not had some experience with funneling chakra. This was the basics of the basics of medical ninjutsu, and Naruto knew he did not really have the aptitude for it.

Nonetheless the process was over within a few minutes. The entire time Anko had remained still and mostly relaxed. Hinata, who couldn't see what was happening since she was lying face down, had begun to squirm near the end. Subtle pressure from Anko's kunai stopped all that.

Task complete, Naruto stood and took two steps back, watching Anko, who nodded before gathering her legs under her and standing, yanking Hinata to her feet as well. Putting away the kunai Anko pushed the girl towards her teammates. The Hyuuga stumbled but did not fall, and whirled around preparing to attack.

The purple-haired Jounin held up a hand, the universally recognized symbol to stop, "This test is over. The mission resulted in failure."

Ino's knees gave out and Hinata made a squawk of anger and protest. Naruto made no move or sound, only meeting his teacher's serious gaze with one just as solemn.

Anko continued, "The test however, was a success. You three showed adequate potential to succeed and grow as Shinobi, however each of you have areas that need serious work. Hinata," she began, turning her head to pin the girl with a stern stare, "your temper and recklessness is going to get you maimed or killed. Sooner rather than later. You need to master yourself if you ever hope to reach your goals."

Hinata's glare was sullen, as if she wanted to refute the words but knew that they were true.

"Ino, you need to work on building up your chakra reserves, I'd suggest asking your clan for assistance on your Bloodline techniques, as they seem to drain you quickly, which indicates too much chakra and not enough control."

Too tired to speak, Ino merely nodded her assent to the suggestions.

"Naruto, you hold back too much at some points, and not enough at others. You need to find a balance between ferocity and calculation that optimizes your abilities. We'll also need to work more on information gathering and strategics. While you three showed a fair acumen with tactics, they could use improvement if you ever want to advance in rank."

"Hai, Anko... sensei," Naruto responded with a small smile. The woman wasn't as bad as she'd at first seemed, and he was more than a little happy that he wasn't being sent back to the Academy.

Anko smiled mischievously, as she instantly reverted back to the persona she'd worn before today, "Whew, well that was more fun than I expected," looking around she concluded, "Looks like you kids made quite a mess, wouldn't want to have to clean this crap up. No, not at all."

Ino stared, alarmed by the implications "Are you saying that--"

Anko stifled a false yawn, "I'm beat. Report at the Administration building at 5 sharp tomorrow morning for our first mission! See ya!"

With that she disappeared with a small puff of smoke, leaving the three Genin staring forlornly at the destruction that surrounded them.

Surprisingly is was Ino who summed it up quite nicely, "Well, fuck."

* * *

The sun rose the next morning to find that a number of impudent mortals had not bothered to wait on its arrival to begin their work. 

Naruto groaned as he carried yet another shoulder load of wooden boards to the craftsmen that labored to repair all of the damage done to the narrow boulevard. As was status quo in Konoha, the Hokage's Office had bought the debts from the parties with damaged property. Since the destruction happened during a sanctioned exercise the Hokage's Office would pay seventy-five percent of the repair costs.

The remaining fourth came from the mission pay of the shinobi involved, which served as a lesson to the offending ninja to be more careful. So effectively, Naruto and Team 12 were doing this mission for free. The Hokage had apparently seen it as fitting that they repair what they'd demolished.

All around him industrious workers buzzed, foremen shouted, owners argued with anyone that happened to stop nearby, and machinery clanked, rattled, rolled, and generally made a great deal of noise.

He passed by Hinata, who was busy setting fresh cobblestones in the street. Sweat matted her navy hair to her skull. She didn't look up, and Naruto didn't bother to offer a greeting. The girl had been stiff and distant since the team had met an hour ago, and the blond didn't care to talk to the mercurial Hyuuga.

Placing his burden on a growing pile of neatly stacked boards next to the antiques shop that he'd blown himself through yesterday, the sole male of Team 12 rotated his head, grinning at the disgusted look a laborer shot him when his vertebrae crunched audibly.

"Yep, this is what being a kunoichi is all about: lying around, sipping drinks, eating dango and eying big, sweaty men."

Naruto gazed up at Anko, who was leering at a particularly well built foreman, who was angrily hopping up and down and swearing at one of his subordinates, while she languished atop the lightly sloped wooden awning of the antiques store.

One booted foot hung over the edge, swinging lazily. A new, undamaged trench coat, this one of a dark gray, hung from her shoulders. A dango stick, this one wooden, balanced precariously between smirking lips. A green glass bottled occupied one and, while the other held more empty dango sticks.

"You went to go get food while we've been out here working our asses off!" Naruto had woken late and missed breakfast, and he tended towards grumpiness when he had to work on an empty belly.

In response Anko just took a long drink from her bottle, which the famished blond could see was covered with condensation. His mouth went dry at the sight.

While the dawn air was cool, Naruto and his two teammates had been performing hot, dirty work for over an hour. Work that require tasks that were completely new to the three ninja and their tired muscles.

"Ne, sensei. Shouldn't you be down here helping too? It was your test that caused all this!" a new voice cut into Naruto's thoughts.

Ino had come up beside him, unnoticed, as he had been lost in thoughts of icy, cool refreshment. To Naruto's astonishment, she didn't look tired at all. In fact it didn't seem as if she'd lifted a hand all morning.

Behind her a man big enough to make three Narutos was easily hefting a stack of large maroon floor tiles on each shoulder. Ino turned to him briefly and a brilliant smile lit up her face.

"Right in there, Taka-kun, just ask the owner where to put them."

The man's answering smile revealed several missing teeth and the brain of a pack-beast, "Sure thing, Yamanaka-san. I'll be right out, so just wait for me, okay, okay?" without waiting for an answer he dutifully ambled inside.

Naruto and Anko both had their eyes raised as they stared at the blonde girl.

"Working hard, I see," Anko said, almost appreciatively.

"Hypocrite," Naruto muttered under his breath.

Ino just smile shamelessly, and took a seat on the single step connected to the brief porch. At this point Hinata decided to grace them with her presence.

She addressed Anko without preamble, "How much longer must we put up with this drudgery?"

"Until it's done, I imagine," she shot an amused glance at the Hinata, "is a personage of your high birth too good to work among us lowly common folk?"

For once unwilling to be baited, Hinata scowled and departed just as abruptly as she had come. Naruto stifled his laughter.

Despite Hinata's fears, all of the work that the ninja were allowed to help with was complete by noon. In celebration of completion of their first mission as Team 12, Anko took them out for lunch at a popular barbecue restaurant.

Over the course of the next month, Team 12 completed fifty-seven D-Ranked missions. These ranged anywhere from clerical jobs for the Konoha Council, to cleaning ANBU's main offices. Not a single one featured any combat whatsoever, and Naruto was becoming more and more bored by the day. When the fifty-eighth mission turned out to be nothing more than sorting the Council's files, Naruto decided he'd had enough.

* * *

"Naruto." 

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" he asked looking around the spacious office of the Hokage.

"I'm told you may have had a hand in an event that occurred earlier today, perhaps you can assist me in discovering the truth of the matter."

"I'd be happy to help in any way, but I've been training with my team all day, so I don't know what I could have 'had a hand in.'"

"So you don't know anything about the letters sent to the wives of several members of the Council?"

"This is the first I've heard of anything of the sort, Hokage-sama," that was certainly true.

"This morning a number of letters were delivered to the homes of several prominent merchants and nobles by, and I quote, 'A smartly dressed, and unfailingly polite young man of undoubtedly high birth.' Each of these letters was addressed to a member of the council, and were of such a nature that the wives of said council members were quite... perturbed."

"Respectfully, I fail to see what any of this has to do with me, Hokage-sama."

"Naruto," the Hokage's voice was direct, "did you send fabricated love notes to members of the council that you knew their wives would open?"

"The very idea is utterly appalling, Hokage-sama," Naruto didn't crack a smile, but his eyes danced merrily.

The Godaime rubbed her temples and exhaled slowly, "What's this all about, Naruto?"

"Could you clarify that a bit, Hokage-sama? What is what about?"

The older blonde growled, "Naruto..."

He relented, "D-Ranks are boring."

"So you potentially ruined several marriages for your own amusement?"

"I think you'll find that only the Councilmen who actually have mistresses received anything. If you were to look, that is. Just a hunch." Naruto allowed a small grin to stretch his lips.

Tsunade, her Robes of Office thrown over the back of her chair, scowled, but couldn't keep the amusement out of amber eyes.. As a female, the only one on the council, she couldn't help but feel some righteous vindication, though she'd never tell the boy that. Her hair was out of it's typical pigtails, and fell about her shoulders in pale yellow waves. A deep green kimono did little to hide her figure, but at least there was no cleavage.

With the snap of the Hokage's finger an amphibian masked ANBU member appeared.

"Could you please contact Mitarashi Anko and have her bring her team here? Let her know Naruto is already with me, thank you."

The shinobi vanished after a prompt salute, leaving Naruto alone with the Hokage.

"Naruto, why is it that whenever you get bored the volume of paper in my inbox doubles?"

Naruto shrugged, smiling.

"As much as your victims may deserve it you can't go around pulling pranks just because you're bored. You're a ninja now, and as Hokage I'm supposed to frown on such behavior, so stop making my job more difficult than it has to be."

"Understood, Hokage-sama, though one could point out that if your Tier Three Mission Assigners stopped giving us crap missions and sent us on a C-Rank or two like _every_ other recently graduated Genin team then I wouldn't be bored to begin with."

The Hokage blinked, "You haven't done anything higher than D-Rank yet? That's absurd. You should have, at the very least, done a Road Patrol mission by now."

Naruto shook his head, no. Road Patrol was exactly as it sounded, a team, usually Genin, patrolled one of Fire Country's primary highways in an effort to keep them free of banditry for anywhere from one to three weeks. The deterrent was effective, and kept the main commerce routes relatively safe, it was also responsible for a good bit of income, as the Trading Guilds paid a large annual fee for the service.

Tsunade opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door banging open loudly. Anko strolled in, looking and acting as if she'd just entered a bar, rather than the office of the Village's most powerful ninja.

Behind her trailed Ino and Hinata, the former of which was sporting an embarrassed blush at her teacher's actions. Naruto waved a greeting before turning back to the Hokage.

Tsunade was to the point, "Anko, is it true that your team has yet to receive a _single_ C-Ranked mission since it's creation one month ago?"

Anko paused to think about it, "I hadn't realized, but yep!"

The Godaime's eyebrow arched, "Don't you find that a bit odd?"

"Well yeah, now that I think about it, I suppose it is," Anko responded as she took the only remaining chair. Ino and Hinata were left to stand between Naruto and their sensei.

Tsunade sighed as she stood, crossing the room to a cabinet on the wall. For a moment she scanned the spines of the deep blue folders arranged neatly therein before selecting one and returning to her desk with it.

She dropped it on her desk and flipped quickly through it. From his vantage point Naruto could see it contained a large number of mission requests. She found the section she was looking for and scanned the pages.

"It appears we don't have any C-Rank missions available at the moment. The Road Patrols are schedule for well into the next two months, and it'd be unfair to remove another Genin team because someone made a clerical error," her tone made it clear that no more such errors would be made without retribution.

"Team Seven received their _third_ C-Rank just a few days ago, and we haven't had any other requests that fall within C-Rank," she frowned, "I suppose you'll just have to continue with D missions until we get something I think will--"

Sounds of a scramble came from outside of the office, and Tsunade strode over to throw the door open. Past the buxom blonde Naruto could see Iruka talking to the masked ANBU from earlier. The receptionist that usually manned the front desk was nowhere to be seen. From the Chuunin instructors movements Naruto could tell that he was greatly agitated. Tsunade cleared her throat.

Both ninja immediately turned and saluted, and Iruka took a half step back, deferring to the higher ranked ANBU.

"Hokage-sama, according to Iruka-san an Academy Instructor by the name of Mizuki has defected, and stolen copies of a large number of files on current and past students from the archives. Iruka-san here says he was incapacitated when he attempted to stop Mizuki. His current whereabouts are unknown, but it seems likely that he will attempt to escape Fire Country as soon as possible."

Tsunade turned to Iruka, who nodded quickly but didn't add anything to the Anbu's report. Tsunade nodded in return and dismissed the two ninja.

"Anko," she said turning, "How do you and Team 12 feel about a **B** Ranked mission?"

Naruto's smile could only be defined as _hungry_.

* * *

Well that's it for chapter 3. Been a long time in coming, I know, but atleast it has some decent length to it this time around. Leave your thoughts, particularly on the fight scenes as I need work on those. The pace will be picked up as our hero departs on his first mission of any consequence. Still looking for an experienced BETA, please contact me if interested. Pleas Dun dun duuun. Etc, etc. 

As always I don't answer questions about the plot, but I will answer if a person wants something clarified, or if it isn't pertinent to the plot. Ask away.

Thanks to Lutris for the translation of a couple words.

Read, review, be merry.


	5. Chapter 04

_Alright, I got some very good reviews, so first off, just let me say thank you for your observations; they're greatly, greatly appreciated. I've answered a few questions, which you can find in my Yahoo Group._

_**IMPORTANT: This is the chapter that earns this story it's M rating. I wouldn't consider it too bad, personally, but if you have a really weak stomach, or just aren't a big fan of violence, be forewarned.**_

_Happy reading._

* * *

"This makes no sense," Naruto growled to himself as he leapt through the trees behind Hinata, his nose following what only Hinata's eyes could see.

"What are you talking about, Naruto-kun?" Ino asked from his right flank.

Anko, on his other flank, answered for him, "We set out approximately twenty-four hours ago. In that time we have not encountered a single patrolling platoon or squadron, yet there are signs that atleast two have been through this area recently, what does that tell you?"

While many would view the selection of Anko as a sensei with incredulity she took her duties as a ninja seriously, and making sure that these three brats developed proper shinobi mindsets was part of that. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that she actually _liked _all of her students. Not at all.

Comprehension dawned on Ino, "So Mizuki had help. Who could change the schedules or subvert all of the patrols without the Hokage knowing? And _why?_"

"It'd take someone with a hell of a lot political clout. That or someone with fucking ridiculous skill with internalizing genjutsu, or both." Hinata replied this time, joining the conversation. Her voice was strained. The stress of maintaining her Kekkei Genkai for so long, even with rest periods, was getting to her. Of course, she wasn't exactly one to have a cheery disposition to begin with.

"It's pointless to debate this when we have no way of knowing, let's just catch the bastard and beat the answers out of _him,_" Naruto said.

Ino shot him a look of mock horror, "Never in my worst nightmares could I have imagined someone could sound like Shikamaru and Kiba in one sentence!"

Taking a leaf out of Anko's book, Naruto deftly drew a kunai and flung it at the girl. He grinned as she just as smoothly snatched it out of the air and flicked it back at him.

Hinata's dry voice interrupted, "If you two are quite done flirting, we _are_ on a mission, here. Or had you forgotten that?"

The two kunai were sent flying her way in reply.

Team 12 had managed to grow rather close over it's relatively short existence, but then, nearly five weeks of spending just about all day every day with one another performing odious D Rank missions tended to cause young ninja to turn to each other to escape the tedium. Misery loves company.

Naruto had begun loosening up around the three women in spite himself. Ino, he'd found, was extremely easy to get along with, which made sense, as she (and her family) had made a study of the human mind and human behavior. This made the straw-haired kunoichi approachable, and she was often the one to ease hostilities when unfriendly civilians objected to Naruto's presence in their stores.

She'd also taken something of an interest in the enigma that was Uzumaki Naruto, and was taking great pains to pull him out of his shell of isolation. In the process, Naruto knew, she'd begun to entertain thoughts of Naruto as being more than a friend and teammate, though thankfully not the infatuation that he'd so derided in her previously.

Naruto was extremely careful not to pursue or encourage that avenue of his relationship with his teammate. He liked Ino well enough; found her attractive even, he just wasn't interested in developing a romantic relationship, being only thirteen, and all.

Even with Naruto becoming more sociable, atleast with his three teammates, the most profound change in behavior had been in one, Hyuuga Hinata.

Apparently the girl's personality wasn't as forceful as she'd have liked others to think. Naruto's show of force that day at the Academy had somehow convinced Hinata that he was the alpha dog of the three Genin, and she generally bowed to his will in decision-making, though only after forcing him to riddle her own ideas with holes.

Anko had taken on the role of big sister, though if anyone mentioned as much to her it'd likely be the last thing they said. She was still a dark, creepy, kunai-trowing sadist most of the time, and ruthlessly efficient in the training her three charges, but Hinata, Ino, and Naruto had adjusted to her quirks.

They'd also learned to dodge kunai really, _really_ quickly. Anko wasn't at all shy about causing a bit of pain to get her point across.

Whenever he paused to think of it, Naruto was rather bemused by the direction his life had taken since Team 12 had solidified on that day of their test. It felt like it had been ages ago when it had been little more than a month. Since they were together five or six days a week for a large fraction of the day, they'd more than made up for their dissimilarities through dozens of shared experiences.

Naruto had never really desired to make friends amongst his peers nor had he ever truly understood why his peers sought them out. He'd been more than happy to leave them to their petty squabbles and rivalries, seeing them as beneath true shinobi. In doing so it seemed he had missed out on some of the good parts of companionship.

His grandfather had merely chuckled and smiled approvingly when Naruto had tried to explain it all to him. Sarutobi had then launched into another dissertation on the Will of Fire. Naruto had promptly excused himself, citing 'things' he needed to do.

The Pariah of Konoha wasn't sure how comfortable he was with this new dynamic, and he often missed the more familiar days of solitude. Even now he was known to disappear for entire days at a time, much to the frustration of one Yamanaka Ino. Naruto couldn't say that it was an altogether unpleasant situation, though, as he and Ino and occasionally Anko had a blast riling Hinata up. She was just so easy to get going, and they'd gotten out of several of the more civilian missions by sending Hinata into a never ending stream of swearing and unleashed bile.

Naruto's introspection was interrupted as Anko signalled a halt via handsign while she inspected the canopy before them. She silently ordered them to prepare for engagement within an hour or less.

* * *

They were close. _Very_ close. Naruto could literally smell the sweat, the sickly sweet scent of desperation and exhaustion that, to his nose, lit the fleeing man's trail as brightly as a _Katon_ technique in the darkness of night.

Speaking of night, the moon rode high in the cloudy sky. The prevailing wind was Northwesterly, coming in from the arid reaches of northern Wind Country, picking up moisture as it passed over River Country and finally dropping it's heavy burdens over Konoha and southwestern Lightning Country. Lightning Country _was_ Lightning Country because that warm, moist air met the frigid air of the _Hyouga Sea_

Weather was important. It could change the field of battle in unpredictable ways. Smart ninja practiced on all terrains in all weathers, and studied the weather patterns of other countries. Naruto had been called many things over the years, stupid wasn't one of them.

"I see him," _Finally_, "he's made camp in the base of a fallen tree. There are traps _everywhere,_" Hinata's voice sounded almost awed over the radio.

Ino's voice crackled in next, "Well Iruka-sensei _did_ say that he specialized in traps, ambushes and projectiles. We should be on our guard."

"Keep the channel clear unless you have something important to say, Ino," Anko's chimed in, "We stop here."

Naruto silently dropped to the forest floor, Ino and Hinata joining him moments later. Both girls were panting lightly from exertion; after catching their breath they sucked water from their canteens. Team 12 had been tracking the rogue ninja for nearly twenty-nine hours. They'd quickly gathered their supplies while the Hokage, with assistance from Iruka, had briefed Anko on what little info they had.

Luckily for them Mizuki had checked out at the Western gate, likely so as not to arouse suspicion. Unfortunately for them this also gave him a large head start. Using the nigh microscopic abilities of the Byakugan, as well as Naruto's nose and Anko's tracking skill, they'd managed to pick up on the correct path, despite all the false trails left by the traitor's clones.

What had followed was an exhausting chase as they attempted to gain on the rapidly moving Chuunin. Somehow the instructor had managed to avoid every patrol that _should_ have been in the area, but, even with the Byakugan, were nowhere in sight.

Anko had informed them on what to expect in a fight as they sped through the thick canopy of Fire Country's great woodlands: Nothing. No fight was predictable she'd said, and cornered rogue ninjas were the least predictable of all. Then she'd gone on to tell them what was known of Mizuki's skill sets. Naruto had only registered any of it as an afterthought. He just wanted to fight, to crush his opponents into dust, to prove unequivocally that he was superior in every way.

Briefly he'd wondered when he'd become such a fiend for the thrill of combat, but battle-lust quickly overrode such thoughts and left nothing in his mind but the _Hunt_.

The blonde shifted impatiently on his feet, eager to engage in the fight he'd been anticipating for weeks. _Who_ he fought was irrelevant, as long as they were strong enough to provide him with a real challenge. A vicious grin, tongue wet lips dry with anticipation. Oh, he couldn't _wait_ to start this fight. Why _was_ he waiting? The blond took a step forward--.

"Naruto! What are you doing?" someone hissed.

The boy in question turned, having forgotten about his team entirely. His eyes were intent, yet they looked straight through Hinata as if she weren't even there. No, as if she were so inconsequential as to not matter in the least. She took a step back, suddenly wary of the boy.

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?" came Ino's query, her voice soft with worry as she laid a hand on his forearm.

"I'm fine, Ino. You should worry for yourself in such a situation." Naruto's voice was distracted, as if he hadn't even realized he'd spoken. He shook Ino off and began to pace restlessly, hands clenching and unclenching at his side. His chakra began to rouse itself, a great beast coming out of hibernation.

"Naruto-san, do you remember anything we've discussed over the past fifteen minutes since we stopped?"

"What?" his gaze snapped to his purple-haired teacher, "we just got here a second ago."

Naruto sensed the female's intent a fraction of a second before she blurred into existence behind him. Before he could react to defend or, more likely, attack, a sharp blow took him in the back of the neck and darkness engulfed him. Awareness was fleeting. Naruto was vaguely cognizant of a change in location, the passage of time.

"...wrong with him..."

"...such intense chakra..."

"...be safe here... out of sight."

"...the mission."

Unconsciousness welcomed him once more.

* * *

Naruto stood at the edge of an unnaturally still pool, aware that he was dreaming, but only as minor detail. He felt disconnected, detached; as if he were curiously separated from his body's actions. He turned his attention away from himself.

Fog rolled off of the dark, silvery water, obscuring the ground on which he stood. Pervasive, it stole the depth from his surroundings, leaving only inky blackness in the distance and swirling silver fog within his field of vision. And the pool. Naruto stepped closer, staring down into the mirror-like surface of the water.

A Beast gazed back up at him.

Naruto raised his left hand, and the figure in the water copied the movement. Claws, glinting black and deadly in the ephemeral light of the fog, extended two inches from each finger. Naruto observed his own hand: pale fingernails.

His hand moved to his cheek, and again the Beast mirrored the move precisely. Deep grooves, three on each cheek, were etched into the image's face like fearsome marks of war. Naruto's clawless fingers ran over the much shallower grooves in his own cheeks.

The feral image of Naruto appeared to be quite a bit larger than Naruto's lithe form, both in height and muscle mass. The animalistic representation of himself looked like he could eat steel and spit out kunai. His skin was also quite a bit more bronzed than Naruto's lighter complexion, giving it an even more wildly dangerous presence.

The Beast in the water smiled, revealing inch long, and decidedly ferocious looking canines. Naruto felt his own lips part.

A shaggy mane of red-gold hair hung down to the Beast's shoulder blades, except for the 'wings' of hair on either side that swept back behind his head like the laid back ears of a canine. Naruto frowned, they reminded him, rather disturbingly, of Sasuke's ridiculous hair-style. Sasuke who'd already completed _three_ C-Rank missions, and was currently on a fourth to distant Wave Country.

_Missions..._

Fog began to swirl around him as awareness started to return, and with it, rapidly building anger. How _**dare**_ they? Naruto growled, a low rumbling deep in his chest.

The Beast's smile grew wider, hungrier. It's eyes burned crimson.

Naruto awoke.

* * *

Mizuki had known that he would be followed. He had expected the fight of his relatively young life. He'd trained for years; day in, day out, for the time when he would finally rejoin Orochimaru-sama, the rightful ruler of Konohagakure.

Mizuki did not consider himself a traitor, but a loyalist. His father had been a budding doctor and scientist in a village unwilling to accept his genius. That had changed when Orochimaru-sama had offered his backing, if only the man would assist him in his research. Mizuki's father had readily agreed and the two began a long and fruitful partnership.

Soon the man, and by proxy his son and only living relative, began to revere the already legendary genius of Orochimaru. Mizuki's father, in a gesture of faith, offered his only child to Orochimaru to do with as he willed. Mizuki was a willing student and oft times test subject. He'd literally lived in Orochimaru-sama's laboratory for over five years; participating in innumerable experiments.

Eventually Sandaime discovered the laboratories, and Orochimaru was forced into exile. Mizuki's father was executed for his role in what were labeled 'heinous, cruel, and inhumane' experiments on living, thinking beings. Before his death, his father had made him swear to carry out Orochimaru's will from within the village.

Mizuki had done so faithfully for over a decade. Unfortunately, Orochimaru-sama was unable to keep contact with Mizuki, so the fanatical young boy followed what he believed his master would have wanted. He entered the Konoha Ninja Academy and began attempting to find suitable children to assist Orochimaru-sama with his goals.

His efforts had paid off, as one of Orochimaru-sama's messengers had finally reached him and informed him of what he was to do. The time had come, and his task would be highly difficult, and likely fatal if he slipped even for a moment. He'd expected Elite ANBU Hunter-nin to come for him; prepared for it.

What he'd gotten was a freshly graduated Genin squad, though only two of the brats seemed to be present, and one Mitarashi Anko. This would be a walk in the park. He didn't know whether to be insulted or relieved. Perhaps he could even capture the Hyuuga as a present for his master. He would be handsomely rewarded for a Main Branch member, and the Heir at that! He'd also be able to exact revenge for Anko's betrayal of Orochimaru-sama. Disloyalty was unacceptable, and she would die by his hands this day, and he would deliver her heart to his master. He was briefly disappointed that he couldn't sense or see the Demon Brat that he knew to be the fourth and final member of their team, but felt confident that should the Fox show up his traps could handle him.

He sat impatiently at the center of his heavily defended lair, watching and sensing as his three opponents' carefully planned approach was absolutely ruined by traps hidden so cunningly that not even a fully trained Hyuuga would notice all of them.

Mizuki grinned wickedly as he pulled and cut wires, triggering the most devastating traps in his wide and varied arsenal. Even Anko appeared to be having a substantial amount of difficulty. It was rare these days to encounter true trap specialists, who used seal traps as well as more common projectile and booby-traps. Mizuki marvelled at his own genius as an electric current ran down the wires currently subduing the pretty little Yamanaka girl. Perhaps his master would allow him to keep her?

Mizuki had been planning this escape for nearly a decade, and this encampment had been prepared, fortified, and carefully hidden for several years. He'd layered enough traps that if he hadn't kept careful record he'd likely have forgotten about one or another and been killed by his own stupidity.

The white-haired young man almost whooped for joy as his only true opposition was engulfed in flames from three particularly well placed Flame-thrower seal-traps. He turned his attention to the blonde Yamanaka girl, who was currently fighting to escape the wire that bound her ever more tightly as she struggles weakened.

The Hyuuga faired little better, as she tried in vain to dodge all the sharp, pointy objects flying at her from every direction. She'd already sustained several injuries that severely hampered her movements. Mizuki sighed with pleasure. It was truly beautiful when a plan came together.

A much worse for the wear Anko appeared and raced towards her besieged students. The renegade Chuunin quickly unstrapped a large Demon Star Shuriken from his back and hurled it on an intercept course with the speeding Jounin.

"_Kage Shuriken no jutsu!_" Mizuki exhaled gleefully.

The large four pointed shuriken split into two copies of the original. His aim was true, and in dodging Anko placed herself squarely in the path of the shadow shuriken. It embedded itself in the woman's back, and she fell without a sound. Mizuki watched the corpse plummet with something akin to ecstasy. Orochimaru-sama would surely be impressed and pleased with him, he would even make him his right hand...

His exultation evaporated when the body dissolved into moist earth, along with the bodies of both Genin.

_Tsuchi Bunshin!_

Mizuki back flipped as a storm of kunai hissed towards his previous location. They skittered and sparked off of the large, flat rock upon which he'd been standing. No sooner had he touched the ground than the Hyuuga heiress was upon him. He saw through their plan immediately, as he spied the Yamanaka flanking him to prepare one of her clan's signature techniques.

This wasn't the most comfortable of positions for Mizuki, as his taijutsu was mediocre at best, and his opponent didn't even have to hit him hard to do obscene amounts of damage. He rolled almost clumsily to the side, coming up with a fistful of dirt and grit which he immediately flung into Hinata's wide open Byakugan eyes. His other hand darted out to fling smoke bombs at Ino's feet, creating a cloud of acrid gas that would cause they eyes to water uncontrollably.

"_Sen'eijashu,_" a perfectly cold voice intoned behind him.

Mizuki spun, narrowly dodging the soaring snakes, and bringing him face to face with Anko, who stood high on the trunk of the fallen tree.

The Chuunin's face contorted with rage and blind hate, "How dare you defile Orochimaru-sama's technique you treasonous bitch?!"

A dark eyebrow rose, as mild curiosity appeared on Anko's otherwise immobile face, "So you're one of _those _types, huh? How very curious, I'll sit in on your interrogation, personally. I'm sure Ibiki-san will give me a good show."

"Burn in hell, slut!" Mizuki shouted up at the woman, who seemed almost amused.

"I wouldn't go running to my old sensei quite so eagerly, were I you. He doesn't tolerate fools in his presence, and you are clearly an idiot. All those traps," here Anko laughed lightly, mockingly, "all for nothing."

Mizuki had had enough, he wasn't about to let some whore blaspheme Lord Orochimaru. Just as he was set to charge up the tree and shut the bitch up for good a thick cloud bank rolled in front of the moon, casting the fighters into darkness. Anko disappeared.

"Remember that lesson you taught on the Advanced Bloodline Clans, Mizuki-sensei?" Hinata called out from the darkness. Her voice seemed to come from all directions. Mizuki whirled, trying to locate the source of the taunting.

"Do you remember the basic abilities of the Byakugan? No? Well allow me to help you. First: The Byakugan of the Hyuuga clan can see through nearly all objects. Two: The Byakugan possesses telescopic view in all direction of up to two miles for advanced users. Three: The Byakugan also possesses _microscopic_ view of anything within it's range," Hinata laughed, and the sound seemed to ring and echo, though there was no way it could have.

_Genjutsu? The Yamanaka girl! She's playing with my senses!_

"Good, you're actually starting to think. Now, knowing all that you do of the Byakugan and that it's the premiere tracking ability in Konoha, why, why, why would you keep a detailed listing of all the traps you'd set up in your pocket? Fool."

This time Ino's voice joined the laughter, and as the moon revealed itself Mizuki found himself surrounded by the three kunoichi, each with a kunai to his neck.

Mizuki began to panic, "I won't go back to Konoha! I won't! I will serve as Orochimaru's right hand! I cannot go back!"

Anko spoke, voice flat, "Then you will die here and now. You've lost. It's over"

Except it wasn't, atleast if Naruto had anything to say about it.

As it happens, he did.

They felt him before they saw him. The ferocity of his rage slammed down on them with the force of a tidal wave. The intent was so unfocused and so utterly potent that is could not merely be described as intent to kill. This was desire to render all of creation unto smoldering ashes; white-hot in its perfectly malignant intensity.

Hinata and Ino collapsed, unable to withstand the pressure of Naruto's imminent arrival, and just barely remaining their grips on consciousness. Anko and Mizuki fared better, as the Chuunin used the distraction to attempt to flee, while Anko grabbed her two downed charges and retreated.

The out of control Demon Jailor arrived with all the pomp and fanfare of a falling meteor, the palpable force of his chakra bowing the ground before it as he landed. The earth around him began to blacken and smoke as grass and small plants withered and died, unable to hold onto to their feeble life forces in such close proximity to the maelstrom of crimson chakra that encased the blond like living flame.

Naruto's slitted eyes were trained solely on the traitor, who quickly abandoned his surreptitious attempts to flee and began to scramble away as quickly as possible, the terror of Naruto's presence driving him into a blind panic.

The rest of Team 12 watched on in mute horror as their possessed teammate stalked the hopelessly outmatched Chuunin, cutting off all avenues of escape with speed that neither Genin was able to follow.

With a start Ino whispered, "He's playing with him..." she covered her mouth with a hand.

Hinata, Byakugan active, "What in the world _is _he?"

"**Coward! **_**Fight me!" **_Naruto's voice rolled out like an earthquake.

A foot swung back and forth to connect with Mizuki's chin, flinging the man backwards. He came up with a kunai in either hand and rushed Naruto wildly, weapons poised to stab with little thought to technique, only mad self preservation.

Naruto's lip curled back in a disgusted snarl, revealing elongated canines. Stepping into Mizuki's foolish rush, he grabbed both of the Chuunin's forearms and _squeezed_. Mizuki howled as the kunai dropped from his grip. Naruto the opportunity to headbutt the taller man square in the mouth.

Blood and teeth sprayed as soft mouth met hard hitai-ate. The injured Chuunin moaned in pain as he sagged slightly in Naruto's iron grip.

"**Weaklings such as you don't merit existence, you're nothing more than a burden on those stronger than you will ever be.**"

With stunning indifference Naruto bent the white-haired man's forearms back. The terrible sound of breaking bone cracked in the night as the Chuunin's arms splintered and broke. Skin was torn asunder by shards of bone as Naruto bent the man's radius and ulna back on themselves at the middle. The bones gleamed jagged and bloody in the moonlight.

Mizuki fainted dead away, and Naruto let his limp, bleeding form fall to the ground.

Hidden in the shadows cast by the moon in the surrounding trees, Ino turned and retched, unable to hold what little she had left in her belly at the gruesome sight. Beside the blonde girl Hinata shuddered with terror at the monstrous act. Anko remained still, her face hidden in shadow.

Naruto's aura of rage had disappeared entirely as he stared down at the broken Chuunin with disappointment and disgust on his blood speckled face.

"**I'll do the world a favor by erasing the taint that was your life, scum. Consider it an honor, to be killed by one far above your level.**"

Naruto raised a hand, a hand the three kunoichi beneath the trees could now see was tipped with dagger-like claws, and plunged it toward the unconscious traitor on the ground, driving his hand clean through Mizuki's Chunnin vest and into his belly with a wet squelch. Pulling his hand back, dark blood and visceral matter dripping, he prepared for another strike.

Beside Ino, Anko shifted.

Crimson eyes narrowed at the hand gripping his wrist and preventing him from ripping the still beating heart out of the trash on the ground.

"**You dare interfere?**"

"Naruto," Anko's voice was blizzard to Naruto's firestorm, "control yourself. He's worth more to us if he can talk, and it will be difficult to get him back to Konoha alive as it is. You've done well in disabling him, bu--"

Naruto's laughter cut off the Jounin's lecture.

"**Vermin such as this serve no purpose, anyone who uses worthless ants such as he is not worth my time,**" Naruto glared and murderous intent began to rise once more, "**intercede once more and I will assume that you wish to take his place**."

Naruto pulled his free hand back, prepared to finish the unaware Mizuki once and for all. I sharp kick to the side of his head sent him stumbling to the side. He whirled to find Anko standing over the traitor's body, apparently having not moved, but the kick had to have come from her.

The visible chakra coming off of the blond boy grew, his nostrils flaring as he leveled a furious glare upon the interloper. He rushed her, feet leaving furrows in the soft soil as he flew at the Jounin. Anko easily dodged his initial strike and delivered a knee to his abdomen followed by a punishing elbow strike to the back of his head.

Naruto rolled with the momentum, coming back up behind Anko completely unharmed. She turned to the boy, eyes icy chips as she stared her student down. Naruto returned the gaze with a malicious smile, apparently finding a thrill in the brief interchange.

A wet, hacking cough broke the staring contest, and all eyes turned to Mizuki, who had returned to consciousness and was letting them all know about it with loud, agonized moans. Naruto snorted his derision at the sight, which drew the attention of the broken Chuunin.

Disturbingly, Mizuki began to laugh. A high pitched hysterical sort of laugh that was the exact opposite of his normal voice. Tears formed unnoticed in eyes that saw only his tormentor.

"They were right! Everyone was right!" he shouted, voice exultant despite the slight speech impediment of several missing teeth, courtesy Naruto, "The Sandaime is a senile fool; harboring an vile creature such as you all these years; it's been you all along hasn't it, monster? Hasn't it, _**Kyuubi no Kitsune!**_"

A sick gurgle accompanied the kunai that embedded itself in Mizuki's throat, but too late, for the damage had already been done. Naruto's face twisted, as if he wore a mask meant to portray all the negative emotions of mankind.

Rage, fear, hate, despair. All of these were thrown into stark relief upon the young boy's face. The aura of madness that had surrounded him near-constantly since his awakening went into flux, becoming weaker yet at the same time infinitely more menacing.

Naruto lurched suddenly as his knees gave way and he fell to the earth, curling in on himself in apparent pain. Anko barely registered her other two charges joining her, so focused was she on the spectacle before her. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't track the wildly fluctuating chakra rolling from Naruto in waves.

Frowning, she turned to Hinata, "Use your Bloodline, tell me what you see!" she said tersely.

Wearing a frown of her own, though one of concentration, Hinata used a Ram seal, something she hadn't needed to do since she was little, to channel what little chakra she had remaining into her eyes. Constant use of her bloodline for nearly a day and a half had left her nearly depleted.

Once active, she turned her Byakugan onto Naruto, what she saw left her stunned. Naruto's unnaturally thick chakra coils were on the verge of eruption. The sheer volume of the chakra spewing from each and every one of his tenketsu was, while monumental, nothing compared to the amount writhing in his chakra circulatory system.

And that wasn't even the worst of it. A foreign chakra was raging against Naruto's own chakra, and the pressure of the battle was putting enormous strain on even Naruto's ridiculously broad coils. In fact, had the blond's chakra pathways not been as wide as they were they would long since have ruptured. From what Hinata could see, that might just happen anyway.

Anko roughly shook her shoulder, her eyes all the demand she needed as Hinata turned to her sensei, Byakugan fading away.

"He's dying, killing himself by fighting whatever is forcing that... red chakra through him," Hinata frowned, glancing at Ino's expression of dread before continuing, "If his coils go, so will everything within atleast a mile. There's _that_ much chakra being compressed there."

If the two Genin had thought Anko's expression had been grave before, the face she wore now would give Death a run for his money.

Ino spoke up, nearly bouncing on her feet with obvious worry, "Couldn't you just knock him out? Like before?" she said anxiously.

Anko's answer was immediate, as if she'd already considered and discarded that option, "No, if he loses consciousness again then he may be lost for good, and his body would be nothing more than a shell for the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and the consequences of that would be far worse for Konoha than losing a square mile of trees."

"I don't understand! The Yondaime defeated the Kyuubi years ago, how does it have anything to do with Naruto?" Ino was rapidly becoming frantic. She'd become friends with the strangely mercurial boy over the past few weeks, and the prospect of losing him so quickly and suddenly when she had no one else except an increasingly busy and distant Sakura was too much for her.

Hinata's open palm met Ino's cheek, but the blonde's startled yelp was drowned out by a fresh round of tortured screams from Naruto, which effectively wiped away Ino's affronted look.

The Hyuuga hissed tersely at her blonde teammate, "I don't know how but the Kyuubi is _inside _him. I _saw_ it's chakra; we both feel it," involuntarily Hinata shivered as she glanced at Naruto before quickly turning away.

For her part, Anko ignored the byplay and focused on making a decision.

She didn't want to leave her pupil; in any case to ignore what was potentially the Kyuubi reincarnate was not an option. That left her with only one option, and it was one she'd rather avoid. The seal was breaking down before their eyes, and could shatter completely if Naruto lost the fight for control. If the seal failed, the Kyuubi would be free, whether Naruto lived or died.

He had to die before the seal broke, taking the Kyuubi to the grave with him.

Out of options, Anko made her decision. Her face went blank as she murdered her emotions in preparation for her task. For good or ill, Orochimaru had taught her well. A kunai appeared in her hand with a deft flick of the wrist, and she started towards Naruto.

"Sensei, wha-" a hand grabbed at her sleeve, but she shrugged the shorter kunoichi off and continued her advance. When a scrambling Ino blocked her path, however, she stopped, eyes almost narrowing in anger.

"Wait, sensei, I have an idea that I think will work, just let me try!"

Anko mentally cursed the girl. Doubt had as little place in her sharp-as-steel mentality as hope, and now, because she had let the three Genin too close, Ino was able to plant both in her mind. Scowling harshly, she marched the girl over to Naruto, and they knelt on either side of the writhing boy. Hinata hovered further back, a dark frown marring her young face.

The night was as cool as an overcast late autumn night should be, yet the air around Naruto was uncomfortably hot and swirling slowly around the boy like the beginnings of a monsoon. Nodding to her sensei, Ino formed a rectangular seal and announced her jutsu, though her words were lost under Naruto's cries.

The Yamanaka's body slumped over to the side, mindless.

oOoOoOo

Naruto twisted and struggled, arms thrusting and waving madly in a futile attempt to rid himself of the chakra that was visibly creeping its way up his form, trying to encase him completely. Already it was to his ribcage, and Naruto didn't have the concentration to spare to wonder or care why he was naked within his own mind, or the Kyuubi's mind, or wherever the hell this place was. Perhaps it _was _hell.

He'd lost his ability to channel, or even _feel_ his chakra once the Fox's chakra had covered is navel.

This place, as it happened to be, was the same as before: thick contorting impenetrable fog, a silvery pond disappearing into the distance. Only now, the fog was the deep crimson of blood, and the water churned and thrashed angrily, as if tossed by unfelt winds.

Naruto's vision went white; a fresh wave of agony burned through him as the chakra seemed to lunge, encompassing his chest and shoulders, flowing down his arms, and beginning to wind sinuously around his neck. For the blond it may as well have been a noose.

Naruto could move nothing but his head as the sinister chakra bound him in place, the scorching pain receding slightly, allowing him to think through the torment.

Abruptly the water stilled, and he felt the chakra bending his neck, forcing him to look into the murky depths of the pool. Within the calm waters was an image of himself, only his body had once again transformed.

From the neck down, Naruto's body had transformed into that of the Kyuubi. Reddish fur replaced skin, the Kyuubi's oddly jointed limbs now occupied the space where his human arms and legs had been. Behind him, nine black tipped tails fanned the air like so many poised vipers.

Involuntarily Naruto, still struggling to move, fell to his hands and feet, the Demon Fox's chakra drawing him closer to his wide-eyed image in the pool. His nose was almost touching the silvery surface when his body halted. A form appeared from within the depths, slowly floating toward the surface.

Naruto froze completely.

Pale yellow hair drifted lazily on the surface of the pool as the quicksilver-like substance parted around the form of Ino. Her eyes were closed, body unnaturally still, lips colorless, and skin frighteningly pale. If not for the slight rise and fall of her chest Naruto would have assumed her dead.

The Kyuubi's chakra forced him into a standing position once more, and Ino's body, lofted by the not-water of the pool, mimicked him.

To his left, between himself and Ino, mist began to swirl, quickly resolving into the massive head of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Though made of nothing more tangible than the smoky substance that pervaded this place, the fox head managed to convey a sense of solidity, its glowing eyes betraying a cunning, animal-like intelligence.

The head shifted, burning eyes weighing and measuring Naruto with something akin to amusement. It was hard to tell as the Fox's massive grin never seemed to change.

"**Ah, tree-rat, what a **_**pleasure**_** it is to finally meet you, face to face, mortal to demon**," the great beast's mouth didn't move as it spoke, nevertheless there was no doubt about who had spoken the words. The voice was laced with an insatiable hunger that didn't bode well for anything that caught the demon's attention.

Naruto replied as eloquently as he knew how. Hawking up a nice big wad of phlegm, he spat straight in the Kyuubi's eye. The gob of spit went straight through, leaving a brief tunnel through the Kyuubi's smoky form.

The Kyuubi laughed at the act, it's ceaseless grin somehow becoming wider and revealing yet more teeth, "**As pathetic as the rest of your wretched ilk, I see, despite their treatment of you. Just the same, just the same. A pity, that a Demon Host should be so irreparably **_**human. **_**But that **_**is **_**what you are is it not? **_**Jinchuriki! **_**Bah! As if human life holds any significance at all! As if holding absolute power were a burden. Foolishness beyond comprehension! **"

At last, Naruto broke his silence, "Been saving that speech long, you whiny bitch? Is that what you've been doing for the past dozen years? Prepping a nice monologue on the inadequacies of humanity? Really, if we're all so weak then why are you in _here_?"

The Kyuubi snorted, apparently unimpressed by Naruto's wicked rejoinders, "**Do not forget your place, little ape.**"

Completely out of his control, the Genin's left hand rose, totally encased in crimson chakra. Naruto could now see that the earlier picture of his transformed body had been false, as the hand before him was definitely human – save for the wickedly curved black claws glinting darkly from his fingertips.

Suddenly the hand flashed towards his face, and he jerked back reflexively. It did him no good as the clawed tip plunged into his right eye. Blood geysered out as the organ popped and sagged like a deflated balloon.

Naruto screamed in agony absolute. The pain was so utterly overwhelming and nauseating that he retched, bile and vomit surging from his belly and spewing forth from his lips. His stomach emptied as he heaved, breathing ragged and throat torn from the abuse of his constant yells.

The Kyuubi was talking once more, but Naruto could hear little over the rushing in his ears. He swooned, head lolling as he nearly fainted. At last he began to master himself, but not fast enough for the Kyuubi's tastes, as his own hand crashed into his cheek. Leaving bloody rents where claw had sliced through flesh. Naruto spat blood as he came to his senses and stared at the ethereal form of the Kyuubi with his remaining eye.

He could feel the jelly like remnants of his right eye sliding down his cheek. The empty socket burned with a fervor, and Naruto realized with something akin to relief that his body was regenerating the organ. Even as the thought crossed his mind his cheek finished it's healing.

"**Even now my chakra heals you,**" the Kyuubi rumbled with disgust, baleful eyes glaring at Naruto.

From this Naruto concluded that the Kyuubi did not have complete control over it's chakra within its Container. The knowledge wasn't particularly helpful at the moment, however, so he filed it away. Glaring right back, Naruto said nothing. To his shame, he was unwilling to taunt to Kyuubi further.

"**Mortal, I tire of this game. Release me from this prison! Break the seal! Do it now!**" the Kyuubi's voice began as a rock slide, but quickly crescendoed into an earthquake.

A sheet of paper, no larger than a standard explosive tag, resolved itself before Naruto's eyes. The simple kanji upon it read: "**Seal.**" It was written in still wet blood. There was a light scorch mark on the bottom left corner, barely visible. Naruto wouldn't have noticed it had it not been mere centimeters from his face.

"**Tear it!**" came the Kyuubi's insistent hiss. The red chakra raced back down his left arm.

Naruto gazed at the Fox stonily, "No."

The chakra shroud around him constricted, knocking the breath out of the blond. He couldn't breathe, his eyes, for now there were two, bugging out at the pressure. Naruto felt his ribs creaking, then with an disgustingly audible crack, his floating ribs snapped, causing the boy to groan.

"_**Tear it, damn you!**_" the Kyuubi's voice was startlingly intense with desperation and impatience as its chakra released its steel grip, though not enough for him to free himself.

"You've lived in me for over a dozen years, you know I'll never do it," Naruto shot the Beast a cocky grin, some confidence restored by the Kyuubi's oddly vulnerable voice, "Besides, it's your own chakra healing any damage _you_ cause. Ironic, isn't it?"

The Kyuubi glowered, "**You're forgetting, imbecile, that I also have your female. Her life is mine unless you do as I say!**" Ino's body jerked fitfully as they Kyuubi nearly yelled its last word.

Naruto shrugged, uncaring, "If you're released she'll still die. Don't tell me you'll promise to spare her."

The Kyuubi's grin was back full force, and Naruto felt dread tickling his spine, "**You misunderstand, tree-rat. I won't be killing the mind-leech. Her mind, her soul, is trapped here with my essence as long as I desire. Her body will waste away, a vegetable while I torture her mind here for as long as you live, and with my chakra, that could be a **_**very**_** long time,**" the Kyuubi's grin broadened fiendishly, "**Worry not, I'm sure you'll hear the screams.**"

To emphasize his point, crimson tentacle of chakra suddenly arrowed at Ino, encasing her wrist. Pale blue eyes opened wide as a scream rent the air, which suddenly carried the stench of burning flesh. The chakra retreated from Ino, leaving her panting and moaning in pain.

Naruto leveled his fiercest glare onto the terribly grinning Demon. It's eyes glowed bright as Naruto lifted his hand to the paper seal, which was anchored to nothing but air, but firmly in place nonetheless. He turned his gaze from the near salivating Kyuubi to Ino. Was her soul, her life worth that of everyone in the village of Konohagakure? No. Could he allow this girl to be tortured, hearing her screams in his mind for the rest of his unnatural life?

Naruto knew that the Village was stronger now than it had been since the reign of the legendary Shodai Hokage. It was a selfish decision, but at that moment he didn't care. He would gladly give the lives of nearly everyone in Konoha to save anyone who had become close to him. It was a pthetic justification, but he knew those few people that were close to him were the strongest in the village. They would be alright. Hopefully.

Apologizing to his grandfather and the near mythical figure of the Yondaime Hokage, who had given his life and eternal soul to seal this walking disaster in the first place, Naruto prepared to rip the seal asunder, freeing the dread Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"**Yesss!**" the Kyuubi hissed, panting and drooling with anticipation.

"No!" it was Ino's voice this time, and it froze Naruto in his tracks, well his arm anyway, "Naruto, you idiot! What do you think you're doing? You can't release that thing, it'll destroy the village!"

Naruto's response was harsh, angry, "Would you rather I let that," he pointed angrily at the smugly grinning Kyuubi head, "torture you for a few centuries, you idiot?"

Ino paled sharply, then quickly regained her color as she became incensed, "You _dumbass!_ This is _**your**_ mind, not the fucking Fox's! You're in control--" the girl's outburst turned to a terrified scream as an enraged Kyuubi turned, head moving and jaws opening as if to devour Ino whole.

Several things clicked at once in Naruto's head.

"_Stop._"

Sapphire Chakra burst outward, shattering the chakra that had bound Naruto. The Kyuubi burst into a maelstrom of swirling smoke and chakra which converged on Ino, pouring in through her mouth, eyes, ears and nose in a rush. Blood leaked out as the Kyuubi's essence filled Naruto's teammate.

Gaping, Naruto leapt at the girl, who had collapsed and was floating in the still water. Lifting her limp form, he carefully deposited her on the shore. The very pores of her skin were bleeding now, and Naruto had no idea what to do to help his friend.

A moment later, as Naruto poked and prodded, trying to wake the girl, the smoky chakra of the Kyuubi came pouring out of the girls skin like acrid fog. Naruto walled it off with his own chakra, mentally exerting himself as he pushed the madly twisting ball of smoke down into the waters of the pool. Sweat beaded on his brow as he felt the massive chakra resisting him, but this was his mind and his will could not be denied.

At first contact the water began to move, spinning vortex like and kicking up a strong wind that pulled the Kyuubi's chakra and very essence down into it's fathomless depths. The surrounding fog that the Kyuubi hadn't used to take an ephemeral form was also sucked into the depths of the pool.

Now that the fog was gone the room had cleared. Nine sentinels, gigantic statues of the God of Death stood guard around the large, circular pool. The walls beyond were stone, and covered with murals of a blond haired little boy doing various things: As a babe yanking on the hair of a large chested blond woman, giggling as he emptied his bladder all over a man with long, wild white hair. The scenes of Naruto's life continued, changing every time he looked away.

Naruto collapsed to his knees, too exhausted to contemplate how truly fucked up this day had been. Next to him, Ino coughed, then promptly rolled over and threw up all over his lap. Naruto laughed as darkness claimed him for the second time that day.

* * *

Naruto returned to consciousness with a string of hacking coughs, his stomach heaving involuntarily as the acrid scent of smelling salts invaded his sensitive nostrils. Once he regained control of his breathing he cracked opened his eyes and began to take stock of his physical condition.

The first thing that he realized was that his mouth tasted like shit. The second thing he noticed hands and feet were tightly and expertly bound to a ridiculously uncomfortable chair by wire, which dug painfully into his skin, even through the tough fabric of his gear, cutting off his circulation and numbing his fingers and toes. Vertebrae crackled and popped audibly as he rolled his neck, using the motion to survey his immediate surroundings. The sounds brought a snort of disgust from the aristocratic, effeminate looking fellow who was taking great pains to aim his pupil-less eyes down his nose at Naruto.

For his part, Naruto ignored the Hyuuga bastard and surveyed the room.

The tiny cell, for that's the only thing it could have been, was crafted entirely of concrete, and well lit by harsh lights running along the ceiling. There was no door that he could see. The décor was seriously lacking, in Naruto's opinion. Aside from the wooden table pressing hard into his belly the room contained little else aside from a brutish looking man fairly bristling with weapons in each corner, and the aforementioned Hyuuga bastard glaring at him from across the heavily abused table. The blonde ninja thought he saw bloodstains dying its rough grain.

Naruto had never seen ninja like these four. They were huge, heavily muscled apes of men. Each wore a pair of massive, iron-bound maces at his hips that would have looked comical on any other shinobi. Tree trunk thick arms crossed over green flak vests had enough steel hanging from them to fill an armory. Each was easily twice Naruto's height and three or four times his weight. Taijutsu was probably out, then, if it came to a fight. The Demon Jailor frowned sharply as he noticed a Military Police symbol, still sporting the crest of the fallen Uchiha clan, on the left breast of the gorilla to his front and left.

The thug's face contorted oddly into something that probably should have resembled a grin, but looked more like a dog baring it's teeth, at the direction of Naruto's gaze.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the man said, as if the words were distasteful, then continued his narrow eyed stare, clearly expecting a response.

Naruto didn't give him the satisfaction, and merely met the man's gaze unflinchingly, forcing down the fear that had begun to twist his insides into knots.

The Byakugan came to life with a flare of chakra as the man stood, slamming his palms down on the table as he put his face right up to Naruto's. His voice came out in a frigid whisper.

"Do you know why you're here Uzumaki?" he asked rhetorically, "_Treason_. You've been charged with attempting to murder **two **members of the High Clans, both of them _heirs_, no less, and a Konoha Jounin. Did you really think you could get away with it? A Genin, and a pathetic orphan no less," he snorted derisively

Naruto remained quiet, his mind elsewhere as he tried to reason out this situation. Where was his team? Obviously the Hyuuga was claiming that he had attempted to kill Hinata, Ino, and Anko-sensei. The accused blonde remembered very little from before or after his confrontation with his personal Demon, only that Ino had somehow appeared and helped him to banish Kyuubi.

"Nothing to say for yourself?" the man's voice had turned mocking, "Nothing at all?"

Naruto smiled, his eyes abruptly coming into focus as he replied, punctuating each word with a sharp exhalation "Got anything to drink? My mouth tastes like something crawled in and died."

The Hyuuga nearly toppled over his chair as he jerked backwards, glaring at Naruto over the raised sleeve of his robe. He turned his gaze to the MP officer standing behind and to the right of Naruto and jerked his head.

The Genin could feel the two heavy footsteps as the man stalked over to him. A meaty fist grabbed his hair and wrenched his head back. Naruto found himself staring up into the smiling, scarred face of one of the Hyuuga's tame gorillas.

Naruto smiled back cheekily, until the grunt backhanded him hard across the mouth. The blonde's head rocked with the force of the blow, the man having released his grip in the Demon Jailor's hair at the last second.

The Genin grunted and spat blood onto the concrete floor, which he noted also bore unidentifiable stains. He tongued a loosened tooth before returning his gaze to the Hyuuga and shrugging indifferently, as if to say, "I've had worse."

Before the Hyuuga could back up his heated glare with more supposedly scathing insults and questions Naruto had no intention of answering, the stupid ape reared back and decked the youth again.

The blow sent Naruto and his chair crashing to the floor. He spat yet more blood and a tooth out on the cold floor that his cheek was currently pressed against uncomfortably. Bound as he was, he was unable to lever himself into a better position.

"Think you're funny, huh? Fucking punk kids got no respect for their betters these days," the violent MP officer growled, earning chuckles from his cohorts, "what say we teach this little _comedian_ what we do to little bastards who don't know their place," he grinned menacingly.

"That's enough, Ganseki," the Hyuuga broke in, "return to your post and keep watch."

"Shut your mouth, Hitoshi, or my boys here will put those girl looks of yours to better use," the apparent leader of the group, Ganseki, snarled.

The Hyuuga seemed to abruptly realize that no one in the room was on his side. He went perfectly still, and Naruto knew he was taking in the leers of the three men surrounding him. He wisely, in Naruto's opinion, kept silent.

Naruto sensed the mood of the room quickly spiraling down towards wanton violence. He was more than a little confused about what the hell was going on. His memory was vague about the past few days, hell the past couple of weeks were fuzzy. He had no idea who these people were or what had happened to his Team. If they were even alive.

Worrying about it wouldn't get him out of this situation.

A booted foot roughly turned him over onto his back, and Naruto found himself once more staring up into the cruel eyes of Ganseki as the bear of a man stood over him. The boy's eyes widened in acute disbelief when the tall man began undoing his pants.

"Still thirsty, brat?" he asked mockingly, as he freed himself from his trousers, "I got just what you're looking for right here."

He patted the limp, dangling _thing _between his legs before gripping himself and began to urinate directly onto Naruto's head. Naruto writhed futilely, but the chair was trapped firmly between the man's calves. Bowing his head to kept Ganseki's piss out of his face, but was little help as the disgusting, warm liquid seeped and dripped and splashed from his hair.

Naruto was effectively helpless, unable to move or even form a seal. He had no choice but to endure the mocking laughter of the gigantic men as Ganseki stepped away.

Rage, white hot, came hard on the heels of the twisting mass of hopelessness, despair, and revulsion, and swept them away with the ferocity of a tsunami.

A snarl of fury so intense that it caused the other four adults in the room to reach for weapons crossed Naruto's face. Either Ganseki was too arrogant or too stupid, but he crouched down over Naruto and spat directly in his face.

The bindings broke.

Claws, dagger sharp and powered by demonic strength, ripped the smug look from Ganseki's face. And Ganseki's face from Ganseki's skull.

Naruto, eyes red as the blood dripping from his right hand, was in the air, leaping for the nearest ape before Ganseki's lifeless carcass hit the ground with a dull thump. Caught off guard by the suddenness of Naruto's action, and further stunned by the sheer ferocity of his boss' death Naruto caught him flat-footed, kunai only half drawn. He never stood a chance.

Naruto opened him up from groin to ribcage, his claws shredding fabric and flesh with equal ease. The boy smiled sinisterly, hooked the fingers into the man's sternum and _pulled_. Flesh, bones, and blood burst outward as the man died on the spot, his knees crumpled and the lifeless body collapsed into a pool of it's own blood and guts.

The boy's red eyes slid closed, his nostrils flaring as he cocked his head to the side, taking in the heady smell and taste of fear that suddenly permeated the room. Naruto's hearing had become sharper than ever before, and the sounds he caught were music to his ears.

The rapid staccato of thrumming hearts laid a frantic beat to the crescendo of quickened breath and blood rushing through veins. The slight hesitancy of step, as his two remaining foes moved to flank him, blended in harmony with the soft _tap, tap_ of blood falling from his claws to join the ever expanding pool of crimson lifeblood painting a fresh coat on the drab flooring.

Naruto exhaled with sweet satisfaction as the slight rustle of cloth and the faintest clink of metal signified to his heightened sentence that the corpse who didn't know it yet to his back left prepared to spring at him, while his ally hung back, waiting for an opening.

Poised on the cusp of unrelenting violence, Naruto took the eternities that were the fractions of fractions of a second to savor the moment of ignition, that nanosecond it took for his opponent to commit himself, mind and body, to his attack.

Once that moment passed, the charging man's fate was already sealed.

Naruto pivoted, blood spraying up from the ground at the sheer quickness of the movement, and was instantly inside the arc of swinging blunt instruments that should have caved in head. The lanky pale blonde hair covering the man's eyes couldn't hide the look of surprise and stark realization that he'd somehow missed and that it was a fatal mistake.

Without preamble, the Genin gone Demon shoved a jagged bone, a rib from his last kill, through the man's neck. Twice. Blood erupted into Naruto's face. His expression would not have been out of place on someone enjoying a hot shower after a long day.

The dying brute clutched feebly at Naruto, eyes pleading, his grip slack as all the virile strength that had empowered him just moments, and doubtless his entire life, before drained out of the gaping wounds in his throat. His mouth worked, but all that came from his lips was a wet gurgle and more red, red blood, standing out against the pale skin of the shinobi. Naruto pushed him away, sneering. What happened to dying with a bit of _dignity_?

Naruto's clothing was so heavy with blood that it was black. He turned to the last lamb waiting to be slaughtered and licked his lips, a fierce grin curving his lips.

"Now **that** hits the spot," he rumbled, licking a wickedly curved claw, "but I'd be a poor guest indeed if I turned down dessert, now wouldn't I?"

The fourth man promptly retreated, seeking safety behind the skirts of the Hyuuga, whose face had gone blank. Naruto realized with excitement that there was no scent of fear tainting the man's, Hitoshi's smell.

Hitoshi's Byakugan was still activated, so there was little danger in losing sight of Naruto when he turned to the bald idiot at his side and performed a rapid two fingered strike to the oblivious man's lower back. Agony so acute that Naruto could taste it twisted the big man's face as he slumped soundlessly to the ground.

Naruto grinned a toothy grin and crouched, ready for an actual fight. Wholesale slaughter was nice and all, therapeutic even, but what he really lusted for was a good fight. He beckoned to the Hyuuga, who had resumed his unassuming stance.

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary, Uzumaki-san," a voice, quiet and commanding, came from his right, "Sorry to spoil your fun but..." The man trailed off as he formed a quick tiger seal.

Naruto stared at the shinobi curiously, wondering why he couldn't sense the man right in front of his eyes. He sat with the ankle of his left leg on his right knee, and looked as unconcerned as if he had been sitting in the middle of a park rather than a bloodbath. Wearing the black combat suit and flak vest of a standard Konoha Jounin, he gave the impression of being anything but. On his head was a curious helmet that rather resembled the one that the Nidaime had worn in every picture Naruto had ever seen of the man. His hitai-ate was attached to the protective head wear.

Naruto blinked, and suddenly realized that he was freezing cold. He eyed this interloper warily, something about the man setting him on edge. He eyed the carnage around him, abruptly revolted by his actions. He hadn't just killed the men, he'd enjoyed it, reveled in their pain. This hadn't been justice as much as revenge. This was an act of senseless slaughter, not that of a shinobi. Naruto's shoulders slumped wearily. He didn't know what was happening to him anymore. Didn't know what he was becoming. _Demon_... _Monster_... his mind helpfully filled in.

"Seems that you have yet more blood on your hands, Uzumaki-san," the man said calmly. He was now flanked by the respectfully silent Hitoshi.

Naruto turned to regard the man, "What do you want from me," he asked listlessly.

The man leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he met Naruto's gaze, "I want to help you, Naruto. I truly do. I sympathize with your situation. My subordinate did not lie when he said that you are being brought up on charges of treason, as well as a mess of lesser charges," he paused, "if you can consider multiple execution punishments to be _lesser_."

Naruto stared at the man flatly, showing no reaction.

"We can get you out of this, but I need you to trust-"

Naruto interrupted, "I don't even know who you are or why you're talking to me. If you want my trust you earn it."

The man allowed a small smile, spreading his hands as if to acknowledge Naruto's rebuke, "My name is Tenzo, and I work for an organization known as Root within Konoha's ANBU, and I believe we have much to discuss," he said, gesturing to the other chair in the room.

Naruto idly wondered what had happened to the table as he took a seat.

"I know you have little reason to trust us. It's unlikely that you've ever heard of me or my organization, so, agreeing with your observation in that one must give trust to gain it, allow me to rid you of this particular problem," he said, motioning to the various corpses as if they were so much clutter.

Naruto snorted, gaining back a bit of his fire as he pushed his confusion, worry, and self-loathing to the back of his mind until he could gather more information.

"Your man here killed that last one there," he said, nodding to the man that the Hyuuga had dispatched, "Not a mark on him, how are you going to explain that one?"

Hitoshi remained indifferent, both to the gore around him and Naruto's words. Tenzo on the other hand, chuckled, "Who can fathom the deadly and unknown powers of a _Jinchuriki_? And I'm told Medical Examiners have quite a racket going, what with bribery and all. Hitoshi here has nothing to worry about."

Naruto frowned, knowing the truth of Tenzo's words, "Sandaime-sama-"

"Was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Hidden Waterfall. He is not expected back for some weeks yet," Tenzo finished.

Now Naruto scowled. While the Sandaime was often used as an emissary to other Hidden Villages, the timing of this particular voyage was downright suspicious. This entire situation was starting to seem like a plot, but Naruto was damned if he could figure any of it out without more information.

He definitely didn't trust the men before him, and he strongly suspected that this whole thing had been a set up to put him precisely in this situation. He didn't see what choice he had, however, as it was unlikely that he could take on the two men, one of whom he couldn't even sense.

The Demon Jailor glanced at the faceless corpse of Ganseki and shuddered slightly. He remembered the feel of his claws renting flesh from bone, tearing the life from those men. Rationally he knew that they would have done far worse to him had he not retaliated, but that logic did little to comfort him. Naruto suddenly felt very alone.

As Naruto watched the ground gently rose up and swallowed the body of Ganseki, and then his three henchmen. The blood soaked into the ground until it disappeared completely, leaving the floor as pristinely clean as it had been before hell had broken loose in the tiny cell.

He turned back to Tenzo, whose left hand was planted flat on the floor. His eyes, however, had never left Naruto. Naruto met his questioning gaze for a moment before looking away.

"What do I have to do?"

Hyuuga Hitoshi hid a small, cold smile.

* * *

Yamanaka Ino was displeased. She had come to the conclusion that she hated hospitals a mere fifteen minutes after she'd woken up and discovered that she wasn't allowed to leave. More accurately, she wasn't _able_ to leave, considering she couldn't even move under her own power. So she spent a day or so listing in her head all the things that sucked. There was Mizuki, he definitely _fucking_ sucked. Then there were bedpans. Hard, cold, embarassing bedpans that were always accompanied by nurses with their gleefully laughing eyes all while remaining outwardly professional. Those _reeally _sucked. White walls, white sheets, and white floors sucked too. So did the flower arrangement Shikamaru had sent her with a note that read, "My mom nagged me into sending this."

The doctors (who also sucked) had told her that she'd suffered from the most severe case of Coil Burn in the history of the hospital. By all rights, they told her, she should be dead. Well she wasn't dead, and she wasn't shy about letting her doctors know about it. They counselled rest, and she demanded to know why she couldn't do that at _home_.

The doctors were adamant that she stay, however, and (in her opinion) cheated by going to her parents, who were justifiably worried about their little girl and tried to convince her that the doctor's knew what was best. Ino insisted that they just wanted to study her like some kind of lab animal, but gave in, after seeing how worried they were about her.

She still hadn't told them the truth of what had happened on the mission. Her father, Inoichi, was ridiculously protective of his only child, doubtless a side effect of the endless ribbing he'd gotten from Chouza and Shikaku over having a girl, and Ino feared what he'd do if he found out the truth of it. Right now he believed that she'd simply used more chakra than her body could handle during the fight. That was another thing that sucked, having to lie to her parents, but it was for Naruto.

Naruto who had been willing to put the entire village in jeopardy to save her from endless torture. She shivered just thinking about being in the clutches of that evil creature for the brief period of time she had been. She tried not to imagine what it'd have been like to be trapped there _forever_.

She shivered again, remembering the untamed rage in Naruto's normally calm, assertive blue eyes that night that seemed a lifetime ago, though it had merely been three days. She'd been awake for the second two of them, and had seen no sign of her Team. She imagined they too were recovering from the mission gone to hell and would come to see her as soon as they could.

As if on cue Anko and Hinata entered the room. Ino looked for Naruto, but the door swung shut with stunning disregard for her feelings. Hinata looked bone tired, but atleast she could walk, thought Ino uncharitably. Anko looked as unflappable as ever, only her trademark smirk was missing. A serious Anko when not on a mission was a rather ominous sign.

"Good, you're already awake. The doctors, not to mention your dad, would have given me hell if they found out I'd interrupted your recovery," Anko snorted as she crossed the room to lean against the window seal. Hinata took the only chair.

Ino smiled at her fellow Genin, "How are you feeling, Hinata?"

"Like shit," she answered shortly, as she fished in her pocket for a moment before withdrawing a pair of dark, sunglasses and pushing them onto her face, "bright as hell in here or is it just me?"

Anko rolled her eyes, "Of course it's just you, _Hyuuga_," she said, stressing the clan name.

Hinata grinned at her own joke and waggled her eyebrows at Ino, whose own eyebrows were lifted in silent inquiry.

"Common side-effect of over using the Byakugan," she said by way of explanation, "bright lights are like kunai to the face for a while. How do I look?" she asked, posing?

"Suprisingly good, it's not a bad look for you at all," Ino said truthfully.

Before Hinata could respond to the teasing jibe Anko interrupted, "Ino, Hinata," she began in a tone both Genin knew meant that playtime was over, "I need to talk with you both, there's going to be some serious fall out from this last mission. Not only did we discover that an agent of Orochimaru had assistance from within the Village, but we didn't recover that information. Making the mission only partially a success."

Ino tried to sit up in surprise, but sank weakly back against he pillows, "We didn't?" she asked, looking back and forth between her two female teammates.

Hinata answered, "After you and Naruto passed out, Anko-sensei sent up a flare to call for help. An ANBU Squadron arrived about 30 minutes later, and you didn't look too good. All pale and blotchy, like something dead and-" she cut herself off at Ino's decidedly unfriendly stare, "Anyway, like I said, the ANBU team showed up and rushed off with you and Naruto immediately. Me, Anko, and the Squadron's Vice-Captain checked Mizuki's hideout. Nothing there but the supplies Mizuki had on him, and no sign of anyone else being there."

"So..." Ino said, trailing off as she failed to come up with the consequences of their failure.

Anko was there to help, "So that means that Orochimaru likely has very detailed accounts of every Genin from the graduating class from the past few years. It just so happens that the latest crop of Rookies has a member from just about every major clan from Konoha, and Orochimaru is obsessed with bloodlines. He considers those with Kekkei Genkai to be his personal play things. He experiments on them, combines them, and generally tries to play god."

"Oh..." Ino said, repulsed at the implications, "shit."

"I'll say, and that's not even the worst of it. There's the matter of Naruto as well."

Ino had almost forgotten her absent teammate in the rush of new informations and the implications thereof, but now all of her worry for him came crashing back to the fore. A spike of anxiety tore through her belly as she struggled and succeeded in leaning forward, all her attention focused on Anko. In her peripheral vision the pale blonde noticed Hinata sitting forward as well.

"It seems word leaked about the real details of the mission, despite the Hokage stamping the highest levels of secrecy on the mission file, and she being the only one to debrief me. Right now, Naruto is being detained by either the Military Police or ANBU Torture and Interrogation. I don't know which, but neither are good for your health if they think you've committed a crime, regardless of actual guilt. Now that you two know Naruto's secret, along with every other adult in Konoha, I'm sure you can see that things won't go well for him regardless of where he ends up. Most people view him as what he carries inside him, and most of the ones that don't, see him as a tool for the Village that should be kept out of sight and mind until needed."

Ino piped up, "But what about the Hokage, she can do something about it, right?"

It was Hinata's turn to contribute to the conversation, she shook her head, "Wrong. Now I know where my father and the clan elders rushed off to this morning. If there's been an Assemnbly of the Council then that can only mean he's being court marshalled for crimes against the High Clans or the Village. That will put his fate purely in the hands of the judges designated from the Council, most of which are members of the High Clans, including your father. We may even be asked to testify _against _Naruto."

Oh shit. Oh shit, shit, shit. This meant her father now knew what had happened on the mission, which did not bode well for anyone, least of all Naruto if her dad got his hands on the boy.

Ino looked up at Anko, tears threatening to form in her eyes at Naruto's plight, and asked, "What can we do?"

Anko shrugged, her face gone expressionless as she walled off her emotions, "We can wait, and support Naruto as best we can when the time comes."

Ino nodded, bowing her head as the tears began to fall. The members of Team 12, minus one notable figure, sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

For one Yamanaka Ino, the world seemed a lot darker.

* * *

That's it for this chapter, folks. I'm not sure how happy I am with the final product, however. I've gone over the Mizuki confrontation multiple times, yet I'm still positive I could have done it far better. I have a feeling that this will be one of the first chapters I redo once I finish the story. The pace has picked up a bit, and we're in for a bit of fun soon. Political intrigue makes me randy.

Exploring Ino's point of view was far more fun that I expected it to be there at the end. I will probably dabble in various points of view over the story, just to round it off better and explain events happening that Naruto can't know at the time. I admit that I have great fun writing Kyuubified Naruto, and worry not about explanations, they're coming soon.

I realize that I have been rather vague about the timeline of things, which is why I tossed in the fact about the Wave Arc, though even that is set in a different timeframe than canon (which does a poor job of timeframes in general). As of now it's about mid-November in this story.

Read and review and tell me what you think of it.


	6. Chapter 05

A frown further creased the craggy face of the retired Third Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato as he gazed into the now opaque surface of one of the Sarutobi Clan's most closely guarded material possessions. The Viewing Crystal was a thing of legends, much like Orochimaru's famed Kusanagi, or Tsunade's cursed necklace. In point of fact, the necklace and the Crystal ball shared similar origins, both being exceedingly rare ores of unknown origin.

The nearly magical Crystal could focus on and see those with a strong emotional connection with the user. For this reason it was of great use to Konohagakure in particular, as belief in the Will of Fire built strong bonds between shinobi.

The mythical device had been gifted to the Sarutobi Family by the leaders of the indomitable Senju Clan. The Sarutobi Family had served as the Iron Fist of the Thousand Arms Clan for many generations before the Hidden Villages had ever existed as the chief enforcers of the sprawling Clan.

By the time the first Hokage officially disbanded the Senju clan just after the founding of Konoha, the Sarutobi Clan, for now it, like so many others, was a Clan in its own right, had dwindled down to a few small nuclear families. Within three generations and three Great Ninja Wars, that number had fallen to the Sandaime and his immediate family. The continuity of the Sarutobi line rested upon his son and grandson.

Though the venerable Sandaime viewed Naruto as the grandson he had never allowed himself in Konohamaru, he had never offered him an official place in the clan, and the blonde child had never asked, and Sarutobi knew that beneath Naruto's calm facade lay a burning desire to make a name for himself as a ninja. Spending his youth around so many storied ninjas, it could be no other way.

Sarutobi sighed tiredly as he recalled the images of Naruto he had just witnessed. He had not seen such ferocity and violence in a single individual in a long time. More worrisome though, was the fact that Naruto had been in control of his actions the entire time. If the Kyuubi had been the one in charge the link would have vanished. The emotional connection had to be mutual.

"I've just received word. He's in Tenzo's custody now, so that's one less thing we have to worry about," a high voice stole his attention from his musings. Sitting almost primly on the corner of the desk was an opalescent slug the length of Sarutobi's index finger. It's eye stalks waved lazily as it looked seriously (as serious as a slug can look, anyway) up at Sarutobi.

When Sarutobi didn't reply the small creature spoke up again, "You know as well as I do that he has to deal with this himself, Sensei. If we help him now we'll only be weakening him in the long run, and that could spell destruction for all of us."

Sandaime shifted in his chair, "I'm well aware of that Tsunade, but are all our machinations doing more harm than good? He's so young, what if Danzo succeeds in his plan?"

The slug snorted in a way that could only be described as delicate, "You and I both know that Naruto is far too stubborn to let that old geezer have his way. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the kid turns the whole thing on it's ear. Besides, do you really think Akatsuki cares how old he is? He _has_ to be ready, and this is the only way without completely destroying him."

Hearing the tiny slug, an offshoot of one of the Slug Sannin's summons, struggle to convey the inflections of Tsunade's strident voice would have been comical at any other time, but Sarutobi simply wasn't in the mood, worried as he was about his grandson.

"I have to go to yet another meeting to attend. Good luck, Sensei" the slug gave him a hard look, "and don't you dare die, you old goat."

"Keep me posted," Sarutobi responded, ignoring the last bit.

The little slug disappeared with a small pop and a puff of smoke, and Sarutobi stood. Pushing the troubling events of Konoha from his mind, he shrugged on his robe, pulling from one of it's many pockets two items.

One was his favorite pipe. The other was a picture of a masked and hooded ninja: The Bloody Heart, Kakuzu, formerly of the Hidden Waterfall the caption read. Sarutobi snorted at the ridiculous moniker, before slipping the picture back into his robe.

_Well, this should be fun_, he thought, amused, as he slipped out of the plush apartment suite afforded to him by his Emissary status, pipe clenched firmly between his grinning teeth.

oOoOoOo

Tsunade arrived at the council building in a swirl of leaves, two of her elite ANBU flanking her. The Slug Sannin paid them no mind, as she was more than accustomed to their presence after nearly twelve years of being Hokage.

The white cloak of her office fluttering behind her in the crisp morning air, she cut an impressive figure, her cool, amber gaze imperious, her stature and strength undeniable. The crowd of well-to-do businessmen, and minor nobles hoping to observe the proceedings fell silent as they parted before her like a flock of sheep before a hungry wolf.

Tsunade swept through the riffraff before pausing next to the ANBU who was politely holding the door open for her. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, uncaring if she gave the masked ninja a view that would incapacitate lesser men, "Get this rabble out of here, this is a closed door meeting, and we don't need people spreading yet more ridiculous rumors."

Straightening, for she was a woman of impressive height to go along with her impressive mind and impressive figure, she stalked away with all the confidence of someone who knows that their orders will be followed without question.

The blond haired woman entered the main council chamber and all eyes immediately turned to her, as planned. Tsunade moved with the liquid grace and strength of a tiger: smooth, seductive, deadly. Men and women, even highly trained and capable shinobi such as these could not help but admire and desire her beauty. She wore her years well, looking little different than she had in her absolute prime. Her hair was slowly turning to silver, but other than that the years ad been naught but good to her, adding a patience and poise that only made her all the more dangerous.

The spell was broken when Inuzuka Tsume cheerfully greeted the Hokage, which Tsunade happily returned with a smile. Of the clan heads, Tsume was easily the most loyal of the bunch. No doubt due to canine leanings of the Inuzuka clan. Tsunade was alpha, and that was that as far as the brown haired kunoichi was concerned.

Tsunade appreciated it, as the council was by and large dominated by males with unenlightened views on the opposite sex, who could and had made her fight twice as hard to get the dickheads to see things her way as her predecessors were ever required to.

Ignoring such thoughts, Tsunade took her seat at the head of the large table, placing her hat down, the symbol of Fire facing outward for all to see and be reminded of her station, she raised her voice.

"Please, do not stop on my account," she said glancing up and down the table at the assembled ninja neutrally.

To their credit, not a flicker of uneasiness passed across the faces of those present. This was not a full meeting of the council. The heads of the Trade Guilds, and the Daimyo's representatives were not permitted into discussions. This was purely an internal affair, and would be handled by ninja.

Seeing that no one had the balls to speak up, Tsunade barely managed to restrain her eager to roll eyes, "I see no need to formally begin the meeting, as you all have taken it upon yourselves to start with out my presence," she said, voice icy, "Proceed. I believe you were discussing young Naruto?"

Hiashi, picked up on the dangling thread, "Yes, Hokage-sama, we were discussing whether or not the Uzumaki child was in control of his actions while committing the offenses already leveled against him. Some of us, myself included, don't believe we have enough information to come to a conclusion to this all important question."

"Yes, and some of us don't _give_ a shit if it was the boy or that god damned fox! He almost _**killed **_ my daughter!" Inoichi jumped in, spitting his words acidly, "What the _hell _is that thing doing on a team of _Genin_? Have you lost your damn mind, Tsunade?"

At this, Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously. Grief stricken or not, no one spoke to the Hokage that way. She ignored the violation of the Third's law, by this point knowledge that Naruto was the jailor of the Kyuubi no Kitsune was already spreading amongst the masses, though many would leave the word 'jailor' out of that sentence.

Nara Shikaku put a restraining hand on the shoulder of his lifelong friend, lest he end up in the hospital beside his daughter courtesy of the Slug Sannin's foot up his ass, and tried to diffuse the suddenly tense situation.

"Despite his... poor word choice, Inoichi has a point, Hokage-sama," drawled the normally laid back Nara, "the boy is far too dangerous to be allowed around untrained Genin, or even Chuunin. Just look at what happened to Mizuki...," the heavily scarred man trailed off, gesturing to the small, neat stack of papers on the table before him.

Tsunade knew what those papers contained, as she had the original print locked away in her office. Those crisp white sheets contained Mizuki's autopsy report, as well as the medical diagnosis and professional opinions on the status of one Yamanaka Ino.

The Fifth nodded at the Nara, both conceding his point and acknowledging his intervention on behalf of Inoichi.

"A valid conclusion, Shikaku," Tsunade responded, "and it goes without saying that Naruto will be removed from Team 12 henceforth," she paused for effect, "but I did not call this meeting to further kick the dessicated carcass of the same horse we beat to death at our last meeting. Today we'll be discussing the validity of the charges levied against Uzumaki Naruto," she finished with a pointed look at Inoichi and Hiashi.

The overprotective Yamanaka Clan head got his back up immediately, "I see no problem with the charges," he spat.

Aburame Shibi spoke for the first time since Tsunade had entered the room, and all attention turned to the reclusive, jacketed man, "Of all of us here, Yamanaka-san, I'd expect you to know the difference between actions committed deliberately, and actions undertaken while one's body is being controlled by another."

Tsunade hid a smile behind her hands as the impact of Shibi's words settled on the gathered shinobi, Inoichi in particular. The platinum blonde man scowled down the table at the Aburame, angered at having his Clan's famed techniques thrown in his face. In response, Shibi merely raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable behind his ever present glasses and high collar.

Hiashi broke the sudden tense silence, his voice cultured and emotionless without appearing forced, the epitome of Hyuuga aloofness, "Be that as it may, Shibi-san, we do not know if the Kyuubi was indeed in control. According to certain, ah, rumors, there is _one_ person who may be able to confirm or deny this essential fact, and solve this matter for us decisively."

All eyes turned to Inoichi, who glared blackly at the Hyuuga Patriarch, "My daughter has already had to deal with far more than any girl her age should have. I see no need to involve her further. This is a situation for adults, not children."

Danzo, sitting at the opposite end of the table from Tsunade, decided to break his long silence at last. Tsunade's knuckles turned white as she gripped the arms of her chair, but otherwise showed no emotion as the old hawk said his piece.

"Ah, Inoichi-kun," he said placatingly, "I'm sure we can all identify with your feelings. After all, who here hasn't lost something at the hands of that Demon," everyone conspicuously refrained from glancing at the ANBU Commander's missing limb and eye, "but in your anger, I believe you are overlooking the fact that Uzumaki-kun is **also** a child, and is just as much a victim of circumstance as your daughter."

Tsunade's amber eyes met Danzo's across the length of the table, both gazes as unrelenting as they were determined. The Godaime loathed the man for his beliefs only slightly more than she respected his conviction and ruthlessness. He was by no means an honorable opponent, but he was certainly worthy of his reputation. But then, so was Tsunade.

Her voice like honey, Tsunade picked up where Danzo left off, "If the roles had been reversed, and it were _your _daughter with the most powerful being to ever walk the earth sealed inside of her would you transfer it's blame to her? Could you live with yourself if you consigned an innocent boy to death? You know more about the mental arts than anyone else in Konoha, think on how Naruto must feel right now. Put aside your fear and see the situation for what it is."

Inoichi slumped back in his chair, his face pale. Chouza, seated on the other side of Inoichi from Shikaku, placed a hand the size of a dinner plate on the back of his blonde friend's neck and pulled him close to whisper into his ear. After a moment the handsome Yamanaka straightened and nodded gratefully at this large friend. Tsunade shared a small smile with Tsume at the show of affection. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a rarity among ninja. A team that had stayed together without losing a single member into adulthood while still remaining close friends.

Tsunade's heart thumped painfully as old memories resurfaced. Clearing her throat, she called for everyone's attention and put it to vote. The decision was unanimous, and the charges, including those filed by Hiashi and Inoichi, were dropped.

The Hokage sighed with relief as one hurdle was safely jumped. There was a mile high wall on the horizon, however.

"There's still the matter of what to do with the Container," Tsume helpfully pointed out, announcing the start of round two.

"Indeed. We can hardly allow the boy to continue the normal duties of a shinobi, all things considered. He is a danger to all those around him," Hiashi stated calmly.

"Nor is locking him away particularly viable. If the Kyuubi has unfettered and sole access to the boy's psyche then it'd only be a matter of time, a short one, before we'd have an out of control _jinchuriki _on our hands. That, or the Kyuubi itself, and I for one don't have any Yondaime Hokages hidden away to pull our asses out of the fire again," quipped Shikaku.

Chouza sighed at his friend's lack of tact, before sharing his opinion for the first time, "Exile is out of the question, obviously. It'd only be a matter of time before word got out that Konoha couldn't control it's demon, not to mention potentially alienating the boy. We have enough enemies without creating more," he finished, sitting back with his massive arms crossed over his broad chest.

There were nods of agreement all around at the summation of their options or the lack thereof by the two friends. Tsunade prepared to speak, inwardly damning herself even as the words fell from her raspberry lips like poisoned fruit.

"Agreed," she said, nodding to the two men, "Are there any suggestions to what we _can_ do?"

Surprisingly it was Hiashi who took the bait, "We must train the boy to control the Kyuubi, lest we have a recurrence of these regrettable events," with a half bow to the Hokage he went on, "Ideally, the Toad Hermit would be well suited to take on such a task, however I believe he has been unreachable for some time now..." he trailed off.

Tsunade responded to the unanswered question, her voice firming as the steeled her resolve, every word a death knell inside her head, ringing for the boy-child she thought of with such frequency and fondness. And regret.

"Indeed, I've been unable to contact my former teammate for some months now. Perhaps if he returns or sends word we can talk this over once more, but as for right now that pervert is not an option," Tsunade's teeth snapped closed with an audible _clack_ as she fought to maintain neutrality in her voice and appearance.

"That being the case I would formally like to propose that the Hyuuga Clan be given stewardship over the boy, with myself being responsible for is actions and well being," Hiashi stated, his voice taking on an air of command that Tsunade found particularly grating.

The other Clan Heads frowned at the bold and unexpected move from the typically reserved Hyuuga. Each saw the move for what it was, an attempt to bring more power and prestige to the Hyuuga Clan. Each played right into Danzo's hands. Tsunade ignored her spine as it suddenly turned to icy dread.

Inoichi was the first to voice his protest, and the Slug Princess had to shake her head at the irony, "I disagree, Hyuuga-san. The best choice for guardianship of the boy is clearly the Yamanaka Clan. My daughter is already acquainted with the child and we're second to none when it comes to controlling other minds..."

From there it degenerated even further, with each Clan Head with the exceptions of Shikaku and Chouza, who lent their support to Inoichi, putting forth their cases as to why they and they and they alone were uniquely suited to care for and train Naruto.

It was times like these that she wondered how her predecessors, her grandfather in particular, had managed to put up with the constant bickering and jockeying for position that was ever present among the Noble Clans.

Danzo cleared his throat, but only Tsunade seemed to notice. Even the unflappable Shibi seemed to be absorbed in the group argument. Danzo cleared his throat again. Louder. The others continued to ignore him. Had this been any other occasion Tsunade would have been amused. The older man hated being ignored. Too bad this wasn't any other occasion.

A finely manicured hand slammed down on the table with a resounding boom. Dust fell from the rafters as the force of the blow shook the room. A fine crack raced down the length of the table, and the stillness following was amusing. Tsunade smiled gently as she waved away the ANBU that had slipped his head in the door to investigate, but not too closely.

"I believe Elder Danzo has something to say. I would greatly appreciate it if you all would give him leave to speak his mind as we so kindly have granted you."

There were no objections. Danzo unnecessarily cleared his throat again.

"It seems to me that you all are glossing over a rather pertinent fact in your enthusiasm to ensure the boy's wellbeing."

"And what would that be, honorable Elder?" drawled Tsume dryly.

Instead of answering her, Danzo turned to Tsunade, "Tell me, Hokage-sama, in the mission report, did it happen to mention how far away the Kyuubi's chakra could be felt?"

Tsunade's face was carefully bland, his game was purposely transparent, as they both knew that there was nothing she could do to stop him. What he didn't and wouldn't know was that she wouldn't have tried anyway.

"The beast's chakra was easily detectable from sixty miles away in each direction. Within thirty miles the reconnaissance teams found a large number of small animals, including birds that were apparently in mid flight, and plants dead, their chakra apparently consumed in the whirlwind of the Kyuubi's chakra. In the immediate area around the clearing where the battle occurred nothing remains alive. The trees were discovered to be dead as they began to collapse under their own weight within hours. Every shinobi that I've sent to secure the area has become violently ill within a few hours on the scene. So far six Chuunin and one Jounin have been hospitalized because of uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea. I've had the area cordoned off and warning signs posted to keep civilians away," Tsunade finished, her tone wearied.

Danzo's voice, low, intense, and persuasive, turned the reel and pulled them in further, "Think about the risks you'd be taking. The damage that could occur to your holdings, your homes," he met glanced meaningfully at Inoichi, "your children. All you hold dear would be at risk were you to take in this boy and what he harbors. Which of you would be responsible for the massive destruction done to Konoha if he lost control again? I suppose it would be irrelevant, as you'd likely be among the first to die, along with most of your clan."

Danzo paused, letting his words sink in. With the exception of the Hokage, who seemed to find the woodgrain of the table intensely interesting, all eyes were riveted to him.

"It seems clear to me, then, that we cannot risk the boy remaining in Konoha until he can control his powers," he paused leaning back in his seat, his expression grim as he tapped a finger on the tabletop, "the risk to the Village is simply too great."

"We've already concluded that we can't exile him, Elder, so what are you proposing? An extended training trip?" asked Tsume.

"Not quite. As you all are aware, ANBU has several hidden bases throughout Fire Country, as well as other nations..."

"Are you suggesting that we allow the boy admittance into the Black Ops? Do you forget the mistakes of the past so easily, Elder Danzo?" Shibi queried, eyebrows lifted.

Shikaku disagreed, "I've seen the boy's file, while impressive he's nowhere near Uchiha Itachi's level. I'm more worried about the fact that you're," he turned his scarred visage to Danzo, "are proposing that we expose an untried Genin to ANBU level training, not to mention all the classified information he'd come across, even by accident, if we dropped him in the middle of a Black Ops base."

"You'd be wrong to underestimate the boy, Shikaku. I know what his file says, and I know it doesn't paint the full picture. Do you really think any student of Sandaime's would be merely above average? No, Naruto has done an admirable job of hiding his skills thus far. Not even my old teacher knows all that he's capable of," she sat back, studying the faces of those around her, her arms crossed lightly over her chest.

"I agree with Danzo's summation and conclusion."

Confusion furrowed the brows of the assembled men, Danzo included. The Hokage and the ANBU Commander rarely agreed on matters of security, usually because Danzo took such extreme stances on the subject.

Tsunade raised a hand to stall the coming questions, "However, Shikaku has a point. To limit the risk of information leaking, make it a inside Fire Country, near the Southern Coast would be acceptable, and assign Tenzo as his instructor."

Realization, followed by relief settled in on the faces of those who had no true vested interest in Naruto, and merely wanted to maintain the fragile balance of power. Hiashi's face had gone blank, doubtless wondering how he'd explain this to the Hyuuga Clan Elders. Danzo's face was unreadable, even to one as gifted at reading emotion as Tsunade.

The meeting over, as the Hokage had final authority over all active ninja, the council members began to trickle out. Tsunade remained seated, her amber eyes staring unseeingly at the table long after the door had shut behind the last person to leave.

She waited for the tears to come. For the stinging behind her eyes to manifest itself as liquid sorrow. After an hour she knew they wouldn't come, perhaps not ever again. She couldn't cry; she'd lost that ability long ago. Ninja didn't cry, after all, no matter who they sent to hell.

A moment later, the council chamber stood empty.

oOoOoOo

Naruto grit his teeth as he expelled residual chakra out of the tenketsu in his fingertips. He watched as the skin became an angry red as they burned. His fingers itched as the skin healed over. Naruto knew that the newly healed skin was now just the slightest bit tougher than it had been before, could take that much more damage.

He knew because for the past seventeen hours as he sat on the concrete floor of his cell he'd been expelling the the Kyuubi's left over chakra from his chakra circulatory system. Seventeen hours prior, when he had decided to meditate for the first time in... was it a month? He couldn't remember.

He'd started meditating to distract himself from the bloody imagery that wouldn't let him sleep, and didn't have the grace to leave, even when he was awake. It wasn't the deaths that haunted him as much as it was the method. Those weren't the emotionless acts of a trained shinobi, but the killing lust of a maddened beast. The fact that he'd enjoyed it made him ill with revulsion. He'd spent a good hour dry heaving in the corner of the room, the tantalizing and revolting images and their accompanying emotions moving him to be physically sick.

So he'd done everything he could to turn his attention away from those thoughts that he was unprepared to deal with. Exercise hadn't worked, so, his options being rather limited inside his cell, he'd decided to meditate. It had taken him hours to achieve the quiet to descend into a meditative trance.

What he had found upon diving into that inner calm was the Kyuubi's vile chakra eating away at his coils. Apparently the Demon's essence was acidic, and even the innate healing the Kyuubi's presence gave him couldn't outstrip the deterioration.

The highest concentration of chakra had been in his brain. Naruto shivered at the memory, at the _possibility_. The chakra in his brain had been the crumbling remains of a complex chakra matrix. A genjutsu. Naruto was not a prodigy when it came to the mental arts of the shinobi profession. At best, he was good at the art, but his abilities and inclinations lay elsewhere. But he could guess what the genjutsu's function had been. None of the possibilities were good.

Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow with his discarded shirt, then, with a hint of vindictiveness, flushed more of the chakra from his system. Seventeen hours, and he still had his lower body to go. There had been that much chakra. The temperature in the room had been steadily rising since he'd begun, and he was surprised that no one had come to check at the rising levels of demonic chakra in the air, but that was a secondary concern.

The process was tedious, as the Kyuubi's chakra responded sluggishly to is call, and it took substantial concentration to not lose the tenuous grip he had on it long enough to get it out of his system, but he was slowly improving, and he didn't know whether to be pleased or concerned about that fact.

The difficulty of this task was increased exponentially as contact with the chakra turned is stomach, and threatened to tear him out of his trance. Naruto doubted if he'd be able to find his center again if the crushing weight of his guilt encroached on his carefully directed thoughts once more. While in this state he could pick and choose where his thoughts went. Outside of it... No.

Naruto deliberately began to work the chakra from his legs, holding down the nausea that touching the vile substance caused. The blonde briefly wondered how his team was doing, particularly Ino, who had suffered through the Kyuubi's tender mercies, another thing that stabbed him with guilt. Naruto ruthlessly crushed the feeling and continued his detached train of thought.

Tenzo and the ever-smug Hyuuga Hitoshi had not offered any information about Team 12, and he had not asked, unwilling to to show any weak points to thew two older ninja. They'd left the room shortly after eliciting his cooperation. Without saying what it was they wanted him to do, only remarking that he'd know when it was time.

The blonde teen didn't regret his decision, however. Under the circumstances it had been the safest course. Among ninja, promises were about as dependable as IOU's from a chronic gambler. He allowed a small smile to cross his face as he remembered Tsunade's enraged verbal attack on Jiraiya's masculinity after he'd shared that small bit of ninja knowledge with a five year old Naruto.

Three hours passed, with only Naruto's harsh breathing and the Kyuubi's chakra filling the quiet of the doorless, windowless cell. The Genin had had no contact since the two older ninja had left. Tenzo had slapped a hand against the wall and a rectangle of solid concrete had evaporated as if it'd never existed, revealing a steel door set several feet back in the concrete. The wall had slid back in place the moment the door slammed after the Hyuuga prick's robe.

Having no Earth affinity, and knowing no technique that could replicate Tenzo's actions, Naruto hadn't bothered looking for an escape route. Turning fugitive would just worsen his situation, and he had no intention of abandoning Sandaime-sensei... unless he had no other option.

Another two hours passed, and Naruto, sweat pouring down his bared chest and torso, left his meditative state and collapsed in a boneless heap after removing the last of the Nine-tail's chakra from his body, physically and emotionally exhausted. Not the most dignified position to be found in, Naruto thought, as a rush of cold air and announced Hyuuga Hitoshi's entrance.

With a grunt, Naruto rolled away from the entrance and slid smoothly to his feet, ignoring the protests of his body as he wiped all sign of exhaustion and emotion from his face. He wouldn't let the bastard see him hurt.

Hitoshi strode in, his Hyuuga mask of indifference doing little to hide his obvious anger. Following him were two men carrying a large wooden tub. Soapy water sloshed onto the floor as they set it down in the center of the room. The two men departed, never sparing Naruto a glance.

"You have twenty minutes," Hitoshi bit off, before stalking back outside and shutting the steel door. The concrete block didn't reappear.

Naruto hurriedly stripped from his remaining clothing and quickly slid into the lukewarm water. He found a course brush floating in the water and used it to scrape the dirt and dried blood from his body. Thoroughly cleaning his hair, he crawled out of the tub feeling better than he had since he'd returned to consciousness the previous day.

Using a nameless wind technique, he blew the excess water from his form. The air was still hot with the Kyuubi's chakra, so the blow went a long way towards drying him off. His clothes got the same wash and dry treatment. Though the deep brown stains remained, it was better than nothing.

Hitoshi entered moments later.

"Come," he snapped, before turning on his heel and walking back to the door, his stride long and and hurried.

Naruto took his time redressing, allowing the pale-eyed man to seethe with impatience. Once he'd wiped himself down with his sash and donned his thick green sweater once more he casually strolled to the waiting man, who threw a harsh glare at the man before turning and stalking away.

The Demon Jailor kept his pace leisurely, allowing his body to stretch after the long confinement, and forcing the angry older ninja to curb his stride in order to keep Naruto with him, and thus creating the illusion to any passerby that it was Naruto in charge, rather than Hitoshi. Naruto grinned inwardly, enjoying toying with the arrogant Hyuuga and the distraction it provided.

Naruto glanced out of each window he passed, slowly getting a feel for this building's location. It was high up, judging by their height relative to the the village sweeping down and away from where he was, and by their closeness to the Administration Building they could only be beneath the Hokage Monument, and the only thing that stood beneath the Monument and directly behind Hokage's officers was ANBU Headquarters. It was also late, and the village lay mostly quiet, though with a population as large as Konoha's there was always a fairly large night scene.

Naruto felt relief at finally knowing where he was, though he had assumed as much a while ago, it was still comforting to be able to plan possible escape routes. He turned to the silent man making purposeful strides down the empty corridor along side him, and grinned inwardly. As they passed through a set of double doors and ascended a flight of stairs Naruto carefully broached a potentially delicate subject.

"You know they have medicines for that, right?" Naruto asked innocently.

"What?" Hitoshi snapped, startled.

Naruto held up is hands in a placating gesture, "I'm just trying to give you some friendly advice, no need to bite my head off over it. I didn't realize you were so sensitive about it. Sorry I asked. Yeesh," Naruto said defensively, his unkempt hair waving about as he shook his head.

"What the hell are you talking about, Uzumaki?" Hitoshi demanded.

"Well, by your expression and the way you're walking," he imitated the man's stiff walk for a few steps as they passed a landing before turning up more steps, "I just assumed that you might have a rash or something, you know," he pointedly glanced at Hitoshi's crotch area before whispering loudly, "_down there_."

Hitoshi let out a strangled cough and stumbled on the steps before quickly regaining his balance and glaring murder at Naruto, who met his gaze with a friendly smile.

"Hey, no need to be embarrassed. You know Jiraiya? He gets that kind of stuff all the time, nothing to be ashamed of. You just have to be careful about where you stick you-"

"Enough!" Hitoshi shouted, his face red with embarrassment and outrage, "I don't have a rash, _down there_! Or anywhere for that matter!"

Naruto held in his laughter as a duo of young female interns sitting at a reception desk shot disgusted looks at Hitoshi.

The Hyuuga, clearly not accustomed to dealing with the subtle insulting techniques of the common teenager, growled under his breath and strode down a short adjacent hall. Naruto followed as the dark haired man stopped at the door at the end of the hall and rapped on the door before opening it without waiting for an answer.

He didn't enter, however, but motioned for Naruto to hurry and do so. The blonde Genin reluctantly, remembering all too well the folly of turning one's back to this man. He slipped quickly into the room, which closed behind him with Hitoshi on the other side.

Seated in the room were Tenzo and a horribly disfigured older man who Naruto didn't recognize. The older man was behind a large mahogany desk, meaning he was the one in charge here and Tenzo was merely the subordinate. Was this the leader of Root then? Naruto cautiously took a seat in the only empty seat to Tenzo's right. Both men watched him silently, Tenzo with an unreadable smile on is face.

Naruto allowed his muscles to relax as he sank into the comfortable chair, and let his face show the tiredness he felt. Let them think his mind was slower for exhaustion. It may all come to naught in the end, but there was no harm in it.

"Ah, you must be tired, Naruto. I won't keep you long then. I imagine you're quite hungry as well," the old man said, gesturing to the steaming tea and the small platter of finger foods set on a tray at the corner of the desk nearest Naruto.

_So it's to be the fatherly approach eh?_ Naruto thought as he accepted the offer and grabbed a piece of cold chicken. He didn't worry about the food being poisoned. If they wanted him dead or incapacitated they'd had ample time to bring about either situation, and without having to trick him into it, and he needed all the strength he could get, as he hadn't eaten since the travel rations Team 12 had consumed while hunting down Mizuki.

The food turned ashen in his mouth as he recalled the way he'd killed the man, and he wasn't naïve enough to believe that Anko had done anything more than end the renegade Chuunin's suffering. He swallowed anyway and continued eating. He could deal with that later, as well as the gruesome way he'd dismantled the three guards, not that they hadn't deserved it.

As he blew on the scalding tea the one-armed, one-eyed man finally decided to speak again.

"I have some news that I'm sure you'll find welcome: the charges against you have been dismissed. All of them."

Naruto frowned, wondering if that had been Tsunade's work on his behalf. He spoke up anyway, best not to seem to lethargic, lest they decided they'd chosen incorrectly and had no further use for him. He'd known the moment that Tenzo had informed him about their secret organization that the moment he became a liability spelled his death.

"Who do I have to thank for such a fortunate turn of events?"

The heavily bandaged man merely smiled enigmatically, inviting Naruto to jump to conclusions.

"Ah," Naruto said, as if in realization, "and who might you be, sir? That I might repay this great debt."

The man's smile grew, "My name is Danzo, Commander of the Konoha Black Ops."

Naruto froze for a fraction of a second, before forcing his body to move naturally, but the widening smile let the boy know that Danzo had seen, that he could play the game too. Naruto's mind worked furiously. Sandaime-sensei had warned Naruto away from this very man the day he'd informed his protégé about his status as a _jinchuriki_. He'd said that Danzo harbored a grudge against Naruto for the loss of his his arm and eye, and thus his bid for the seat of Godaime, though it had been the demon fox at fault. Yet here he was, offering Naruto an alliance of sorts? According to his mentor this was out of character for the man.

Of more import was the fact that this man was the likely leader of this Root Organization. The ANBU Commander wielded immense power and influence within Konohagakure. With Danzo at the helm, Root immediately became exponentially more powerful. Naruto didn't buy the mission statement Tenzo had fed him for a second. If a warhawk like Danzo was in charge then there was doubtless an underlying purpose to the group, and the Genin doubted it was anything good.

Naruto had already come to the conclusion that the only reason they wanted him was for the Kyuubi. There was simply no other reason to recruit a green Genin, especially one that was under the protection of the Sandaime. Naruto needed answers.

"So I'm free to go?" the blue-eyed boy asked, glancing uncertainly at Tenzo.

Danzo frowned, "I'm afraid not, my boy. The council's decided that an out of control _jinchuriki_ would be bad for Village Security. If I hadn't interceded you likely would have been exiled."

Naruto frowned, unable to tell if the man was lying. He liked to believe that Tsunade would never allow him to be exiled, but he knew that her power was not absolute, and there was no reason to believe that the other members of the council would pull in his favor. Likely the exact opposite, considering his lack of control had endangered the daughters of two Clan Heads.

"So instead of being exiled I'm... what? To be imprisoned?" Naruto asked, voice carefully pitched to quaver just so.

Danzo gave him a sympathetic look and responded, "Nothing so harsh as that, Naruto-kun. You've been place on a... probation of sorts. Outside of Konoha. Tenzo here has been appointed your probation officer. You'll be sent to an ANBU facility outside of the Village."

Naruto blinked back his shock at the revelation and maintained his composure, "For how long? Am I allowed to visit or have visitors? Correspondence?"

Danzo sat back in his chair, rubbing his chin with his remaining hand and looked at Tenzo. Seeing the look, Naruto turned to the helmeted ninja as well.

The brown-haired ninja spoke, his voice apologetic, "For as long as it takes for you to master your... gift. As for visitors, it's unlikely. I'm sorry, Naruto" he brightened, "but I wouldn't worry, there are children your age where we're going, so you won't lack for friends. As for correspondence there are already established methods for sending letters to and from the base."

Naruto gave a tremulous and uncertain smile.

"When do we leave? Can I get my things and say good-bye to my friends first?"

"We'll be leaving at sunup in six hours. Whatever you do before then is up to you, though I suggest you take only what you need, and I suggest you get some sleep as well," he finished, noting Naruto's wide mouthed yawn.

Danzo entered the conversation once more, "I hope you understand the necessity of my assigning an Operative to shadow you until you're safely outside the bounds of the village. Public opinion of you is not at it's highest at the moment. Right now, the Third's Law concerning mention of the Kyuubi is in the process of being repealed, as knowledge of it as already spread too far for to possibly enforce it now. It's for the best that you to remain out of sight."

Left unsaid was whose safety was the concern. Naruto doubted it was his.

"Do you have any questions, Naruto?" Danzo asked softly. When Naruto shook his head negative, the Elder went on, "For the little that it's worth, I empathize with your situation. It must seem like the world's gone mad and everyone is against you," he gave Naruto a pointed, steady look. Naruto looked down into his lap, unwilling to let the man see the anger simmering in his eyes.

"I can't imagine what it must feel like, knowing that you've been used as a vessel for such brutal killings."

Naruto's fingers balled into fists in his lap as he sucked in air through his teeth. Head still bowed, he clenched his eyes tightly shut, trying to banish the gruesome images flickering past his minds eye, the one detail they all shared was the color red. Crimson blood staining his hands. Crimson chakra shrouding his vision, ensnaring his mind, staining his soul.

As much as he'd tried to justify those deaths to himself he still felt the guilt at having _enjoyed_ it. The agony and terror had been intoxicating, arousing, and Naruto hated himself for it, but couldn't deny the thrill and pleasure he'd felt once his base instincts had taken over.

A comforting hand landed on his left shoulder and he angrily shrugged it away. He glared, first at Tenzo, then at Danzo, their pitying looks only angering him further. He suddenly wasn't in the mood for these games any more. He wanted out. He wanted to be alone.

Standing so quickly that his chair teetered perilously on it's back legs before crashing back onto all fours, Naruto turned and left the room. He left the building through the reception area he'd passed through earlier, ignoring the two startled receptionists.

He ignored the long stairway that wound down towards the lower levels of the building and eventually street level and dived headfirst over the rail. He dropped like a stone, falling parallel to the building. He fell, arms pinned to his sides body rigidly straight until his eyes watered from the stinging wind.

The Hokage Monument is recorded to be 4,526 feet high. The Administration building and many other shinobi facilities, including the Academy and ANBU Headquarters are located on the lower slopes of the mountain, squarely in the shadow of the immortalized Hokage. ANBU Headquarters was roughly 20 stories tall. Naruto fell 150 feet, rolled in mid air and hit the building running, using chakra to stick to the building and race down the remaining twenty feet.

He hit the ground too hard and fast, and his lower legs let him know they didn't appreciate the harsh treatment. Naruto ignored the pain and raced off into the long shadows of Konoha, trusting to his instincts to keep him away from areas where people were up and about.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Naruto berated himself as he ran, cursing his emotional breakdown, even as he tried to out pace the grisly imagery by turning his attention elsewhere. He'd shown weakness, worse yet to an enemy who was doubtless searching for any buttons he could press to manipulate him. Even now he was letting his anger get the better of him. Forcibly ignoring the rage and guilt fighting to overwhelm him, Naruto managed to calm himself. He was a ninja after all, death was and would be his constant companion for the rest of his life. He could learn to live with it or let it rule him. Sandaime-sensei's words.

With that he began slowing his strides, mindful of the fact that Danzo had assigned someone or, more likely, _someones_ to tail him. Walking slowly now, he tried to catch his breath. By the fullness of the moon it had been four days since the mission that had gone so wrong. Naruto had been unconscious for the first pair of those, and incarcerated for the latter two.

His mind and body were exhausted, and his stomach cramped with hunger. That decided him on his first course of action. Slipping noiselessly down a narrow alley, he retrieved a small clip of ryo from a hidden pocket in his pants.

Dropping a quick _Henge _over himself, he left through the other end of the alley and checked his reflection in the window of a nearby shop. Plain brown eyes framed by crow's feet looked back at him from beneath a thin fringe of gray-speckled black hair.

The transformed young man nodded to himself before strolling off in search of food, making sure to put a slight limp in his step and the barest shake in his hands. It wouldn't do to move like a young man when in the form of a man past his prime. It wasn't exactly necessary to put so much effort into the disguise, but it never hurt to practice. After all, he wouldn't have the luxury of perfecting it on an actual infiltration mission.

Unfortunately, any restaurant that was open at this time of night wouldn't be in out of the way sectors, so Naruto soon found himself threading through crowds of men and women taking in the sights and experiences of a night on the town.

Naruto took advantage of the situation, slipping his hands into the pockets and purses of the men and women whom he drunkenly stumbled into and relieving them of their hard earned cash. As far as he was concerned the money was going to waste anyway, and atleast this way the men and women would be taking home tales of mugging and burglary to their spouses, rather than a nasty and contagious rash in their nether regions.

Uzumaki Naruto's mood, and net worth, had improved substantially by the time he'd slipped out of the crowds and into a small bar to order some grub. Tucking the majority of the ryo away, he ordered his food and drink and sat down at the bar between a drunk, who was muttering under is breath to himself with his head pressed against the bar and a well dressed young man who seemed to be trying to impress the distinctly unimpressed and rather attractive redhead woman to his right. Probably the son of some minor noble.

Spinning around on is stool to put the bar to his back, Naruto surveyed the small, but crowded bar and amused himself by examining his fellow patrons while waiting for his food to arrive.

He frowned at a group of four obviously drunk Chuunin who were laughing uproariously over several empty bottles of sake. As a ninja he frowned on imbibing alcohol. Anything that reduced one's capacity to identify and react to danger was not tolerable as far as Naruto was concerned.

"Have you heard about that Uzumaki brat?" Naruto discreetly turned his attention to the fancily dressed man next to him, even as a steaming plate of beef and noodles was placed in front of him by the bartender.

When the noble's intended conquest didn't reply he went on, his chest puffed out with self importance, "Four days ago he apparently went berserk and killed a Chuunin out on patrol. Tried to kill his team too. The Hyuuga and Yamanka heirs, and he tried to kill them!" the man spat, his words slurring slightly. The woman went on ignoring him, stirring her drink silently.

"The Yamanaka girl's been in the hospital ever since, and her father is out for blood," the man smirked, "that brat's done for. Even if the spineless council doesn't execute the little bastard he'll never be welcome in Konoha again, not now that everyone knows his dirty little secret."

Naruto sighed softly as he slipped another piece of the delicious beef into his mouth. It seemed Danzo had been correct about the village's current sentiment towards him. For most of his life he'd been ostracized by the vast majority of the village. Now that his, or rather, the Kyuubi's actions had pushed him to the forefront of the public conscious, it was entirely possible that what had been cold anger was now burning white-hot.

Naruto doubted he'd get much leniency from the full Council if he was forced to defend himself from irate villagers and ninja. The Noble Clans of Konoha were considered untouchable to the standard Konoha denizen. They'd have gladly gone to war with Kumo over the attempted kidnapping of Hinata several years ago, if not for the event being resolved relatively peacefully.

Crimes against those in the Clans carried much harsher penalties than that very same crime against a normal civilian or shinobi. Fair? Not really, but it was what it was, and it was the reputation of those Clans that had allowed Konohagakure to prosper since it's founding.

Atleast now he knew where Ino was. Leaving a tip on the counter, he drained his drink, grabbed his bowl and stole the noble's money pouch before walking out of the bar.

By the time he'd reached the well lit street where the sprawling hospital complex was located he'd finished with and discarded the bowl and dropped his transformation. He waited in the shadows, watching the entrance of the hospital until a tired looking doctor in his mid-fifties hobbled out of the building and down the street. Naruto studied the physician as he walked towards him, slipping further back into the darkness as the man passed him. When he stepped back out he'd assumed the form of Dr. Saitama, according to the name tag attached to his left breast over his long lab coat.

Imitating the doctor's haggard expression and listless walk he made his way into the hospital, whereupon he was greeted by the too clean scent of antiseptic and a surprised receptionist.

"Ah, Dr. Saitama? Did you forget something, sir?" she asked in a business-like manner.

Naruto smiled gently and a bit sadly at the young woman and nodded his head, "That does happen to be the case," the disguised-nin mumbled softly in Dr Saitama's voice, excessively grateful that the _Henge_ technique was an actual transformation, rather than a genjutsu. He couldn't have faked the man's voice well enough to be convincing.

"I need to see a patient's file to double check something in my personal notes," he continued.

"That's no problem doctor, I'll just..."

Naruto waited until she'd turned, to see what direction she would have moved in, before interrupting, "That won't be necessary, Rei. I'm not so old that I can't do things for myself," he grumbled good naturedly at the brunette.

She smiled at him as if he were a beloved grandfather as she retook her seat. Naruto took her hand and gave it a soft pat as he passed into the room behind the desk. Finding himself in a long hall that looked to contain offices and rooms of various other administrative purposes, most of which were dark, he followed along until he found the door labeled, "Files & Charts."

He entered and closed the door behind him, quickly examining the tall, moving shelves stuffed full of manila folders. Fortunately they were sorted alphabetically, and he soon dug Ino's file out from among various other Yamanaka files, grumbling to himself over the ridiculous need some clans had for giving everyone in the clan similar sounding names.

Flipping open the slim folder he found the most recent entries in the front. Quickly skimming over the irrelevant information on birth date, blood type and other facts, Naruto found what he was looking for, a diagnosis, followed by several pages of nearly illegible scribble by her doctor.

Blood turned to ice in his veins as he mentally translated what the doctor was saying into understandable terms. If what he was reading was accurate, then Ino had suffered nearly complete chakra burnout. The doctor hypothesized that any use of chakra, either her own or others, upon her coils would cause immense pain and potentially collapse the fragile pathways.

The physician stated that neither he, nor any other doctor, had the requisite chakra control to safely operate on the patient The doctor ended by recommending that the patient, Ino, be referred to the Hokage for potential treatment by the legendary Medic, though he was doubtful of anything but time, measured in years, could fully heal Ino's delicate chakra system.

Naruto closed and replaced the file, numbed. In saving his life Ino had probably ended her life as a ninja and nearly lost her life. The chakra system was covered thoroughly at the Academy, and he knew that complete chakra burnout always, _always_ resulted in death.

For however long it took for Ino's pathways to heal, which could take a decade or more according to the file, the girl would be able to feel her chakra but would never be able to use it, lest her pathways begin to collapse, leading to a slow and ugly death.

Naruto leaned back against the wall, trying to envision such a life. Chakra wasn't just energy, it was a drug that all ninja subscribed to. The feel of chakra rushing through one's body was an addictive rush that heightened awareness and sensitivity. They'd heard the horror stories of youths who had killed themselves by trying to draw and hold too much chakra.

And now, if Ino touched it, she would die. Because of him. Tears stung the back of his eyes, but he refused to wallow in self pity. Ino was the concern here, not himself. He wondered if she knew, and if she did, did she hate him for it? Either way he needed to see her, if for no other reason than to thank her for giving him the clue he needed to suppress the Kyuubi, and thus saving his life, and probably the lives of everyone in Konoha.

He made his way to the IC Unit, where her file stated she was to be kept until the Hokage could examine her. Naruto dropped his _Henge_ and entered the room, halting just inside the door.

Flowers, a riot of colors, sat upon the two small nightstands adjacent to the desk, and Naruto recalled that her mother owned a flower shop. They looked homely compared to the flower in the bed.

Moonlight shone through the open window, causing her unbound hair to shine silver as it pooled around her head and upper body. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and stood out stark and lovely against her pale skin. She was covered only in a thin sheet, the heavier blanket having fallen to the floor sometime during the night, and the white sheet did little to hide the burgeoning curves of hips, calves, and thighs.

Naruto studied the vision in silence, finding a new appreciation of her beauty now that he knew he would not see her again for what could be a long time. Somehow he didn't think learning to control the Demonic chakra while trying to stay a step ahead of Danzo and his Root organization would be easy or brief.

Ino wrinkled her nose in her sleep and rolled onto her side, facing the window. Naruto silently crossed to the other side of the room to keep her face in sight. The shoulder of her hospital gown had slipped, baring a long smooth stretch of smooth skin.

Old aches panged in Naruto's chest as he gazed unabashedly at his teammate and friend. Old questions about why he wasn't allowed to interact with the other children his age. Why he wasn't allowed to have friends like the other kids.

_Because they ended up in the hospital, one short step from death, _his mind, always on the ball, supplied. Naruto scowled bitterly and turned to face the window. The descending moon told him that he still had several hours before dawn. He should probably get some sleep, he thought detachedly, though he was no longer sure he'd be able to.

"Naruto-kun?" a sleepy voice queried.

The Genin in question turned his head, the window framing his profile, a small breeze sprung up, ruffling his hair. Ino was struggling to sit up in bed, and Naruto waited, unwilling to embarrass her by offering assistance.

Finally she was upright, and Naruto turned to her fully, leaning against the windowsill, his arms entwining across his chest as he waited for her to get her breathing under control. She took a deep swallow from the glass of water that had been hiding amidst the flower vases. She scowled at the taste once she'd put the glass back.

"Yes, Ino-san?" Naruto drawled, his voice relaxed and low, almost a purr. It betrayed none of the emotion swirling just beneath the surface.

Ino blinked, never having heard Naruto speak in that tone. He was either distant or playful, never... feline. She shivered, whether from pleasure or fear she didn't know.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?" when she didn't get a reply she went on, "I heard about the charges so what are you... did you-"

Naruto chuckled softly, "No, I'm not on the lam. The charges have been dropped." The blatant relief on Ino's face made something stir within him. He viciously stabbed that something to death. He decided that she didn't know about her condition, else she wouldn't be nearly so happy to see him.

She looked him up and down, and Naruto was thankful for the darkness that hid the bloodstains on his clothing. Finally she spoke again.

"That's good news, right? You're free to go now, everything can go back to normal. Have you seen Anko-sensei or Hinata yet? They'll be so relieved. They were so worried, even if they'd never admit it aloud," Ino paused in her rambling, seeing the blank look on Naruto's face, "There's something else isn't there," she stated, more than asked.

Naruto didn't respond, just continued looking at her with that unnerving stare. Ino shifted under that gaze, feeling uncomfortably like prey before a predator. The movement caused her too large gown to fall off her shoulder again, and Ino could have sworn she felt his gaze sharpen. She swallowed and tugged it back into place.

Naruto turned back to the window, contemplating how much to tell her. One mission had changed things irrevocably. He couldn't allow her to remain close to him. Not until he was sure he wasn't a danger to her and the other members of Team 12.

"You'll never be a ninja again, Ino," he said, baldly. He actually felt her recoil from across the room.

"W-what?" she stuttered.

Naruto turned to her, his eyes empty and cold, "When the Kyuubi attempted to possess you he nearly destroyed your chakra system. You were too weak to hold it, and it burned you out. As it is now, you cannot use chakra if you don't want to die a very slow and very painful death."

Ino's face, if possible, paled ever further. She knew as well as he did the effects of chakra burnout. It had been pounded into the repeatedly since they had begun using chakra.

He let her assimilate the information before going on. She flinched at the sound of his voice, "Because you foolishly risked yourself to save me, your career as a ninja is over, Ino."

The platinum blond lashed back, tears of anger in her eyes, "And if I hadn't Konoha would have been destroyed because _you_ let that demon out! Because _you_ let your stupid, pig-headed male need to fight control you!"

Naruto smiled coldly, "Don't be so naive, girl. Do you really think Mitarashi would have let me live long enough for the demon to get out? Why do you think they assigned her to our team? Because she's the best killer this pathetic Village has to offer. She's been under orders to kill me if I got out of hand from the start, no questions asked."

"You have no way of knowing that!" she practically shouted, before a fit of coughing forced her to subside.

"Don't I?" he said, his smile was viciously cold. Ino shuddered and drew the sheet around her shoulders.

She sneered at him, "I suppose you'd rather have died then?"

Her eyes widened when he merely looked away.

"You, _idiot!_ I risked my life, and this is the thanks I get? You selfish, ungrateful bastard!" in impotent rage she tried to throw her pillow at him. It didn't even make it halfway across the distance between them. Ino had collapsed back on the bed, spent by that small effort.

"Just tell me one thing, Naruto. Did you know... did you understand what you were doing when you..." she trailed off, voice weak.

"When I killed, Mizuki?" he paused significantly, "Yes."

Calmly Naruto bent and retrieved the pillow. He gently lifted Ino's head and put the pillow back beneath her before just as tenderly setting her head back on the pillow. The silkiness of her air captivated him, and he was tempted to run his fingers through it. Nevertheless he pulled his hand away without hesitation.

Ino refused to meet his eyes. Tears streamed from her pale blue eyes as she tried to burn a hole in the ceiling. Naruto had never been this close to the girl before, and his hand itched with the desire to wipe away the tears he'd caused. The frozen, logical part of him kept it steady by his side, however.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek so brief it was barely felt. She flinched, and Naruto's stomach turned to lead.

"Good-bye, Ino."

When she looked up the room was empty, as if he'd never been, and Ino closed her eyes, trying to convince herself that the entire episode had just been a cruel, cruel nightmare.

oOoOoOo

The Hokage was waiting for him when Naruto entered his room with the intention of packing his bags. Dawn was still a good three hours away, and Naruto thoroughly intended to catch and few hours of sleep before he had to leave his home.

Tsunade had other ideas it seemed. A traveling pack, full but not overly so, sat at the foot of his bed, upon which the Hokage sat. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been alone with this woman who had been so much a part of his youth.

Naruto settled on the bed next to her, unsurprised that she had been able to get through the warding seals surrounding the house and his room while leaving them intact. She wasn't the Hokage for her looks, after all.

She wasn't however, wearing her robes of station, but simple, form-fitting outfit of grays and greens. Her hair was unbound, as Ino's had been, and he wondered what curse he'd brought upon himself to be forced to bear witness to such achingly beautiful visions on the eve of his departure.

Her amber eyes studied him silently as he brooded. And she spoke. Not with the commanding tone and authority of the Hokage to which he had become accustomed, but the soft, warm, and hauntingly familiar intonation of a woman who'd experienced so much pain in her life that she'd never be rid of it.

"Hello, Naruto-kun. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she said softly.

"Too long, Hokage-sama," Naruto hated himself for the formality and bitterness he couldn't get out of his voice.

Tsunade took it in stride, however, "I have a few things for you, Naruto. The first is a gift from your grandfather," she handed him a medium sized scroll that she'd had behind her back.

He took it, but didn't open it, looking instead to her for an explanation. He got one.

"That, Naruto, is the Summoning Contract for Primates. Sarutobi entrusted it to me before he began this mission in the hopes that I'd pass it to you when I felt the time was right. Keep it hidden. Return it to the apes as soon as you can."

Naruto rose quickly ignoring the end of the sentence, "What is Sarutobi-sensei doing, Tsunade?" he demanded harshly, his eyes fierce in the dim light provided by the window. The only reason that Sarutobi-sensei would leave the contract with a human, rather than the animal holder would be if he thought there was a chance he wasn't coming back from his mission. The thought chilled Naruto to the bone.

Tsunade stared at him sternly, and after a moment he remembered his place. This woman could crush him with a finger. Further, she was his commander and he had no business questioning her in such a matter. As he retook his seat next to the beautiful woman, he mentally added his grandfather to his rapidly growing 'list-of-shit-to-worry-about.'

"Do not worry about the old ape, Naruto. What he's lost to age he more than makes up in experience and cunning," Tsunade continued in that melodic voice, "The second gift is from myself... and Kakashi. It was his idea."

He blinked owlishly at the woman. He hadn't seen Kakashi in anything more than passing for nearly half a decade. They ignored each other at those times.

"Open it."

He unrolled the scroll to see complex directions for two different jutsu: _Kage Bunshin no jutsu_, and _Kuchiyose no jutsu._ Naruto blinked at the high level skills. The second was understandable. If he had a summoning contract now, he'd perforce need to be able to actually summon them.

"Kage Bunshin?" Naruto queried, wondering what was so vital about sharing this technique with him.

"You'll understand once you've learned it. Your instructions are there in the scroll, and you must learn it. Tonight. Before you leave," she said with finality.

Naruto frowned and looked at the flowing script, Tsunade's hand undoubtedly, that detailed the method of performing the jutsu.

"You want me to learn an A-Rank technique in three hours?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yes."

Naruto took note of the gravity in her voice and nodded, "Okay."

"Memorize the scroll then destroy it before you leave. You are not to let anyone know you have knowledge of them until you have my permission. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, I understand," Naruto said, already committing the scroll to memory.

"One more thing, Naruto. That second scroll... it contains more than just _jutsu_. Make sure you read it thoroughly."

Nodding, he put the scroll aside and stood, when Tsunade did, bringing to his attention the fact that she was now only an inch or two taller than him in height. He also realized that she was very, very close. She stared into his eyes for a long time, her own orbs unreadable. Slowly she leaned down and placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips.

"Come back to us, Naruto-kun. Promise me," she said, worry tinging her voice for the first time. She looked soft and vulnerable and female in the moonlight, the steel required by her position bending ever so slightly.

It was that more than anything that let Naruto know how dangerous the situation he found himself in was. Not once could he remember this extremely powerful woman showing anything but nerves of steel.

"I'll come home, Tsunade. It's a promise," he gave her an easy, cocky smile, "Believe it."

oOoOoOo

Three hours later, Naruto, too mentally exhausted to think, let his body run on autopilot as he slogged up to the Southern Gate of Konoha. On his back was the pack Tsunade had put together for him, and his staff rode diagonally across his back, the top peeking over his right shoulder. Tenzo was waiting for him at the Gate, and as Naruto approached, the man nodded, doubtless a sign for the stalking shinobi.

He'd spent the past three hours attempting to learn the Shadow Clone technique, and it had paid off. He could now create up to three solid clones of himself, while learning the technique he'd come to see it's effectiveness. Unlike other solid clone techniques, this one split the user's _total_ chakra by the number of clones, rather than just the amount of chakra molded. The user and the clones would all be of equivalent strength, and while this reduced the power of each clone as well as the original, there was strength in numbers, and the cumulative strength aside from that still equaled the user's total abilities.

Splitting one's chakra equally was difficult, and potentially dangerous. He could split it as many times as he wanted and create a veritable army of himself, but each Naruto would be extremely weak comparatively. Since Naruto had such vast amounts of chakra this didn't pose as much of a problem for him as it did for others, and the best part was that as Naruto grew in power, so did the technique.

Oh, and there was that nifty shared memory bit. That would be useful once he'd looked into it further.

But the scroll had contained more, only the second message was hidden within the two techniques. It had taken him a while to discover the hidden cipher and translate the message. Mission orders. He didn't dwell on them, however. Right now he had a more important concern... and here it came.

Anko appeared in a swirl of leaves two feet in front of him, and he ground to a halt. He eyed her lazily, immediately falling back on his distant persona when confronted by a potentially painful confrontation. And if the icy look in Anko's eyes was any indication, 'confrontation' was the proper word.

She spoke softly, angrily, "Ino, didn't deserve that Naruto. Not from you."

"Eavesdropping is a poor habit, sensei," he said blithely. When she didn't respond he shrugged, "She'll get over it. It was for the best in the long run. Who knows, she may even thank me for it one day."

"Doubtful. It wasn't your place to lash at her because _you're_ afraid, Naruto. Don't you think she's going through enough right now? Did you really need to dump that on like that?"

Naruto lifted an eyebrow, his expression showing naught but boredom, "Frankly, Mitarashi-san, it's none of your business. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to be going."

The Genin tried to slip by his former sensei, but she grabbed his upper arm, "This isn't finished, _Naruto_," she hissed.

The blonde whispered back softly, "Take care of them, sensei, don't waste your time on me."

With the he shrugged free of her grip and walked up to the patiently waiting Tenzo, who looked all the world as if he hadn't just heard a brief but ferocious verbal quarrel.

"Ready to go?"

Naruto nodded, and the Gate swung open and the two ninja slipped through, heading southeast. By the time Naruto gained the courage to look back, the Gate was already closed. Following Tenzo, he leapt into the trees.

oOoOoOo

It took the two ninja five days, but at last they arrived at the Southern Base of ANBU Root. Unbeknownst to Naruto the Base was actually the former home to the ninja of Whirlpool Village, which had been destroyed during the Second Great War, and it's members scattered across the globe.

The Base was _in_ a high cliff overlooking a narrow bay that widened as it lead into the ocean. Naruto gazed unseeingly the beaches stretching out below him as they traversed the rocky path leading up to the base, before leveling out and entering into the side of the cliff, within which lay the base.

They were greeted by two guards, who checked Tenzo's identity quickly and professionally. Him, they ignored, and he walked in, trailing a step behind the brown-haired nin. Surprisingly, the inside of the base was neither wet nor rocky, instead, after a five minute walk through solid rock they entered what appeared to be a deep and narrow ravine.

At the bottom of the ravine was a slow moving river that had probably been underground long, long ago. Sunlight streamed down through the aperture far overhead, providing plenty of light to see by. The Genin rationalized that this wouldn't be the case significantly before or after noon. You could probably tell the time by where the sunlight hit the walls.

Openings honeycombed the walls, and Naruto could see buildings nestled within. Balconies, stairs, and arching bridges connected the structures to one another like a giant spider web. The blonde looked on in awe as they passed through the large base that more closely resembled a small city.

Naruto examined his new, and temporary he reminded himself, home with detached interest. Clinically going over it's strengths and weaknesses. Depending on the situation the place was either impenetrable or a death trap. The Demon Jailor almost smiled.

After a long descent they entered a building at the very base of the ravine, just 20 yards from the river, which looked a great deal wider from up close. The building was large, and the only one that Naruto could see that extended significantly out of the rock wall.

The only word Naruto had to describe the inside of the building was... cozy. Plush carpets lined the floors, while comfortable looking chairs formed a semi-circle around a merrily burning fireplace. Naruto wondered where the smoke went.

Tenzo had been unusually silent for the majority of the trip, Naruto mused, as the older man wordlessly gestured for him to take a seat before stalking off around the corner.

Minutes later, Tenzo returned with a young man about Naruto's age. The youth was about the same height as Naruto. His dark eyes went well with his even darker hair, which was held back from his face by a Konoha hitai-ate. His jacket was ridiculously short, and left his midsection bare. He smiled as he caught sight of Naruto and immediately came over to him, his hand, which was covered in blotched of ink extended.

"Hello," the strange boy said, "my name is Sai. I'm told we're to be friends and partners," he paused, considering, "Kind of like brothers!"

Naruto glanced bemusedly and glanced briefly at Tenzo, whose face was unreadable, before returning his attention to the man before him and taking his hand.

"Naruto, pleasure to meet you."

oOoOoOo

_**A/N: Whew, that was beastly. Believe it or not, after several months of writer's block, I typed this out in two weeks. My hands are cramping. It sucks. But atleast I can move on now, and likely more quickly. I'm far more please with this chapter than I was the last, and took several pains to correct some mistakes I had made in the plot by releasing the last chapter before it was ready.**_

_**I apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I had thought about making it longer and including the Sarutobi and Kakuzu encounter, but I figured some suspense was necessary on that front. You'll live, promise.**_

_**At any rate, thoughtful reviews are always appreciated. Thanks in advance.**_

_**p.s. What'd you guys think of Small Favor? Pretty kick ass if you ask me. Toodles. **_


	7. Chapter 06

Hello again, readers. I apologize for the lengthy break between chapters. And since it's been seven months since the last update I'll post a summary of the previous chapters here:

**In the prologue, Sandaime and Jiraiya watched the Kyuubi's imprisonment. Sandaime took in the newly made jinchuriki and sent Jiraiya to find and bring back Tsunade to become Godaime Hokage. Sandaime also ordered Jiraiya to train Kakashi to eventually take over as Rokudaime Hokage. Sarutobi thwarted an assasination attempt on Naruto and decreed that no one was to speak of Naruto's burden. Tsunade returns and becomes Godaime Hokage. **

**Chapter One takes place twelve years after the prologue on the day of the Academy Graduation Test. Naruto's makeshift family of Sandaime (and his children), Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi has split for political reasons, leaving Naruto somewhat embittered at the perceived abandonment. He is a pariah among the village, with most villagers avoiding him out of fear of the Sandaime's considerable wrath. Naruto spends most of his time alone training as the Sandaime is frequently out on trips.**

**Naruto passes the Test easily but Sasuke is still awarded the top Graduate spot at the Graduation ceremony later that day. Skipping the festivities, he heads home to find Sarutobi returned. Sarutobi gives him a Bo staff as a present for graduating and becoming an adult.**

**The next day Naruto discovers his new team: Anko, Ino, and Hinata. Naruto learns a powerful Futon and the new Team 12 passes Anko's test. After a month of D ranks, during which the team bonds, the Chuunin Instructor Mizuki flees the village with information on the recent graduates of the bloodline clans. Tsunade orders Team 12 to find and retrieve the information and Mizuki if possible.**

**The mission goes horribly wrong, however, when the Kyuubi begins to manifest control over Naruto. Naruto, in a crazed bloodlust, utterly destroys Mizuki before turning on Team 12. Faced with the prospect of destroying the first people he's started to become close to since his family split, Naruto fights the Kyuubi's control and nearly dies in the process. Anko is prevented from having to kill Naruto to keep the demon trapped by Ino risking her life to go inside Naruto's mind and rescuing them both from the Demon Fox.**

**Once they return to Konoha, Naruto discovers his problems had just begun. The Sandaime is out of town and he is being held captive for the high crime of attempted to murder two Clan Heirs, Naruto is faced with humiliation and interrogation by Root plants within the Military Police, all in an effort by Danzo to see the Kyuubi's power for himself. Naruto delivers in a big way and Danzo manipulates the Council into agreeing to let him handle Naruto's training after charges are dropped. **

**After a painful break with the gravely injured Ino, Naruto meets in secret with Tsunade, who gives him two new jutsu to learn and a dangerous mission. Traveling to ANBU Base South, located at the southern bay of Fire Country along with his new minder and teacher, Tenzo, Naruto will be finding out first hand the true trials of ninja life as he carried out the plan that could save Konoha.**

There you have it, hope that helps.

* * *

_**Wolf At The Door**_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke spent a lot of time in front of the mirror. This fact was well known and commented upon by his peers, whether it be with admiration or derision. However, the true reason for these lengthy sessions in front of his bathroom mirror was unknown to anyone but himself, and he preferred it that way.

The raven-haired scion felt his body unwinding as four spinning tomoe, two in each crimson iris, slowly spiraled to a halt. One of the lesser known abilities of the Sharingan, and other doujutsu, Sasuke supposed, was that its effects could be used upon the wielder given a reflective surface.

This made genjutsu extraordinarily easy for Sasuke to practice, as the subject of his techniques was himself. With enough focus, he could even trick himself into a heightened sense of awareness by triggering the release of adrenaline into his bloodstream, or dull injuries by giving himself a 'shot' of painkillers.

It was a decidedly useful, if risky, technique, and would definitely require further exploration before the Chuunin Exams in two months.

Accompanied by a cloud of steam, Sasuke stepped out of the master bathroom wrapped in nothing but his skin, he paused as one of his two new servants, Miko, slid a robe over his shoulders.

Identical to her sister, Miko was a tall woman with hair so dark it shone blue. Her eyes were the color of dark chocolate, and her figure held just the right mix of slim, taut musculature, and lovely feminine curves to distract the most stalwart of men. In other words she was perfect, for Sasuke's purposes atleast.

One of the first things he'd done upon attaining adult status after his ascension into the ninja ranks had been to hire a pair of servants. For almost five years he'd lived in the sprawling Uchiha Compound without another soul, and though he'd never admit it, the ghosts of his slaughtered kin made poor company. But, naturally, there was more to them than was readily apparent.

Both servants were young, (though still over a decade above his own thirteen), attractive and, most importantly, discreet. There was no need for the wrong ears to hear of his activities over the past four months since graduation. The services of the professionally trained courtesans came at a steep price, but they more than made up for cost by handling his business interests both inside and outside of Fire Country; those aboveboard and below without garnering undue attention from the authorities.

They also prepared all of his food, his stomach reminded him, as he descended from the Master's Suite and into the kitchen, where a hot breakfast and small stack of scrolls dutifully awaited his attention.

Sasuke had always preferred eating in the kitchen, where he had always been able watch his mother bustling away at some task, and brimming with vigor. The dining room was filled with the echoes of his father's disappointment, and that man's false smiles.

Light and a soft breeze filtered through the sheer curtains covering the window above the sink, where Misa was busy cleaning away the dishes, and for a moment, Sasuke allowed himself to believe that those long, dark tresses belonged to his mother. But the moves were too… sensual to have ever belonged to his departed dame, Jounin or no.

Even when performing such menial tasks, Misa and Miko had a nearly tangible aura of 'come-hither-and-ravage-me.' Great for business negotiations, but damnably distracting at times. It didn't help that they'd do anything he requested with not a hint of hesitation or restraint, such was their training.

Speaking of business, Sasuke forcibly turned his attention from Misa's soft humming and hypnotically swaying hips to the four scrolls next to his bowl of steamed rice. Quickly unfurling the first, he found a banking statement. The second detailed a business transaction gone sour due to Sasuke's unwillingness to sweeten the deal any further than he already had. The third was a jutsu scroll detailing methods for Lightning Elemental Recomposition.

The Uchiha heir sipped his scalding hot green tea with relish as he brought his Sharingan to life and devoured the scroll. Kakashi hadn't been much help, as the Jounin's natural affinity was lightning and thus he had no need to recompose his chakra for Raiton jutsu. Sasuke didn't think for a moment that the elite Jounin was incapable of teaching Sasuke, but the two geniuses had rubbed each other the wrong way from day one. He did not like Kakashi and Kakashi didn't seem to care for him much either. Granted, that hadn't stopped the Copy Cat from saving his life from Momochi Zabuza on the A-Rank they'd failed.

Unfortunately, Raiton affinities were nigh nonexistent within Konoha, with Kakashi (and his father before him) being the only two ninja in recent memory with an affinity for the powerful element. So he'd perforce relied on other means to acquire the power he needed.

This scroll had come straight from the sealed library of Kumogakure itself, and Sasuke knew it had cost him a substantial amount for the girls to pick it up from the black market. He decided that he didn't much care, as his Sharingan engraved the last the words into his mind permanently even as he rapidly consumed his wonderfully prepared breakfast.

Setting the scroll aside, Misa would take it to his private library later, the Uchiha Clan Head turned to the final scroll, which was deceptively plain. He sighed, seeing the wax seal, and its Great Tree emblem, and knowing it for a Council summons without opening it.

Around three months ago, Sasuke had thrown an unsightly fit over the matter of one Uzumaki Naruto, or more accurately, the fact that he had not received notice that the Council was convening. Granted, he had been out on a mission at the time, but it was the principal of the thing. He was the Uchiha Clan Head now, and had a right to all the privileges and responsibilities of that title.

The Hokage had listened through his terse rant with obvious amusement, before acceding to his wishes, all while wearing that infuriating smirk. Ever since then he had received summons to Council meetings whenever they were held, and for once he found himself wishing he'd just left well enough alone. The Council meetings were, more often than not, completely unrelated to shinobi affairs, and when they were it was generally about things such as standard pay per mission, the state of the Academy, diplomatic relations with pathetically small ninja clans and villages, logistics, and the like.

In other words: boring. More and more, Sasuke found himself longing for missions outside of the Village to avoid those meetings, and he began to see why his peers, fellow Clan Heads, made excuses to miss those meetings unless something important was being discussed.

Unfairly, he knew, he blamed his plight on the Uzumaki, who was of completely out of reach, and thus Sasuke was unable to take his frustration out on the blond prick. Oh, and he also happened to contain the Kyuubi. Which he was currently being trained to use. By ANBU.

Sasuke scowled as Misa bent over the table to collect his now empty dishes, the shoulder of her loosely worn kimono slipping down and half-revealing a luscious expanse of collar and breast.

Some guys just got all the breaks, he opined, as his Sharingan activated.

* * *

Ino twirled through the forms with the grace of a dancer, her mind honed to a point as fine as those of the twin sai that spun in her hands. Her mind supplied targets for her thrusts, kicks, and punches. Without fail those mental practice dummies had blond hair, blue eyes, and distinctive lines on each cheek.

"Ino, don't get sloppy now! Snap, chamber, and move your ass!" Anko shouted from a short distance away.

The platinum blonde acknowledged the admonishment with a nod, as she repeated the form, making sure her kicks were clean, sharp, and balanced. Silence was the only sign that she had performed the move to satisfaction.

Reaching her peak speed, the Genin began a measured deceleration, winding down the work out. By the end she was panting for breath, but not exhausted, a sign of progress for both her taijutsu and her healing.

Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage herself, had taken over Ino's rehabilitation. As a result, Ino had healed more in the past three months than she would have in the next three years with any other medic.

Unfortunately, the therapy was very time consuming, and time was something that the Hokage often lacked. That being the case, Ino had been bewildered when the Hokage had personally offered her services. When the Yamanaka heiress questioned her sworn leader, the legendary kunoichi had only said it's what Naruto would have wanted.

Ino had had no idea that Naruto was on first name terms with the beautiful older woman, but at that time she hadn't been ready to hear anything about that stupid bastard of an Uzumaki.

She still wasn't, truth be told, and avoided any mention of her former teammate. Team 12 would go on without him, though it was a tossup about that for the first month, and so would she, she thought assertively as she took small swallows from a bottle of water her sensei had handed her as she sat down beside her in the shadows provided by the towering trunks of the surrounding foliage.

After Naruto's departure, Anko had been put on probation, pending a hearing concerning her decision making on what was now commonly known as "The Mizuki Mission." The probation had lasted a month while the Council decided whether or not to demote the purple haired kunoichi to Special Jounin. It had finally ended when Tsunade made an executive decision, thus ending Team 12's stay in limbo.

Since then, Team 12 had been on a few missions, though none higher than C rank, and the few C's were basic patrols. The team was filled out on these missions by a fellow rookie Genin who didn't have another assignment. The week long patrol with Sakura had been awkward, to put it mildly, but Ino hadn't felt much like talking anyway, so the long silences after brief stints of forced conversation had been a blessing.

The other teams were kept busy though, so for the most part, Team 12 focused on training, rather than missions. Ino and Hinata, who happened to be late for their nighttime training session, were determined to enter the Chuunin Exams, despite being short one team member. Anko, after failing to talk them out of their foolish, and possibly suicidal, decision, had thrown her all into training the two young kunoichi. The Hokage was aware of their intention and was actively watching the rosters for an opening to fill the void left by Naruto.

In addition to this, Tsunade had prescribed her the worst possible medicine ever created: mandatory training with Maito Gai and Rock Lee. Great for her stamina and taijutsu. Apocalyptic for her sanity. And wardrobe. Ino was now the ashamed owned of a royal purple, spandex bodysuit, complete with cream legwarmers. Unwilling to trash it, which would be rude, she buried it in the deepest, darkest corner of her expansive closet, and vowed never to touch the box again. That thing was tainted.

There was one more plus to training with the two Beautiful Beasts of Konoha, she had met Tenten, and from her had received the sai that now rode her hips, as something of an apology for having to put up with her embarrassing team. Ino was all for female solidarity when it involved her getting shiny new toys. She gave Tenten flesh colored earplugs in return. The look of gratitude mixed with embarrassment on the brunette's face had been as amusing as it was pathetic.

Ino stroked the steel fondly, in a manner disturbingly similar to the way Mitarashi Anko tended to play with her kunai.

"Hinata is late. Again." Ino pointed out, unnecessarily.

"She'll be here when she gets here," Anko replied, utterly unconcerned, as she lounged against the tree, eyes half-lidded.

"Wow, sensei, I didn't have you pegged for the philosophical type, but that was positively deep," Ino ribbed the older woman.

Anko smirked, "Now if you'd listen to all my nuggets of wisdom, we'd be getting something done. Well, you would be, anyway."

"I'm not getting a tattoo, Anko-sensei," Ino said, her voice flat, unfriendly even.

The Jounin snorted, "And you won't be getting laid either with that attitude."

Ino glared at her instructor, who held up a hand, brushing her student's anger aside.

"I'm just saying, it would help distract you from-"

"Or make me lose control and kill myself? Think I'll pass, sensei. Besides, it's not like there's anyone around I'd even consider… why the hell am I even talking about this with you?"

"Because I'm your sensei, and it's my duty to ensure you have a well rounded education," Anko replied flippantly, "What about that Inuzuka boy, he certainly seemed interested."

"Kiba?!" Ino exclaimed with disgust, "Tell me you aren't serious, have you smelled him? Besides, there was a reason he seemed so interested, I was ovulating that week, and dog-boy could smell the pheromones. Hell, men in Tsuchi could smell the pheromones I was so…" Ino trailed off, turning to stare at her instructor with annoyance.

"How do you do that?" the blonde asked petulantly.

Anko shrugged, "You need to talk; I just let you."

The snake wielding Jounin glanced up at the moon, before standing and stretching with a serpentine grace that Ino envied.

"Seems Hinata-hime won't be joining us tonight. Want to train some more or head back to my apartment? You can crash there tonight, and we can track down our MIA Hyuuga in the morning," Anko gave her a lecherous grin; "You can even catch up on your reading."

Ino would have been grateful for the concealing darkness, had Anko not known her well enough to be certain that her cheeks had flushed pink. The older woman was referring to Ino's new found fascination with the Icha Icha series, a guilty pleasure for Ino, who detested perverts with a passion. Anko needled her about it endlessly.

The blonde Genin rose, letting her jaw popping yawn answer for her, and the two kunoichi walked the short distance back to the village proper. Ino's coils were not yet strong enough to sustain the chakra needed to boost her speed or leaping capability. Out of respect for that Anko and Hinata walked or ran where ever they were headed when with Ino. Granted, after 3 months with Gai, Ino had become very fast without chakra.

But the moon was cutting a half circle in the cloudless expanse above, so the two women took their time. Along the way, Anko tried to talk Ino into visiting a bar or two, but Ino flatly refused. No point in risking a chance encounter with her father and his drinking buddies. She was still furious over his role in Naruto's case, despite the outcome.

Anko's apartment wasn't far, which was the reason they'd chosen the nearby training ground for their team meetings. Hinata or Ino or both often ended up crashing there to avoid the tension of their lives at home. It was an odd little bachlorette pad, but it belonged to them all the same.

The apartment itself was six stories of creaking stairs and cranky residents, crammed between a butcher's shop and a senile old man who collected scrap metal to create his 'art' at all hours of the day and night. Fortunately, Anko was sober, so atleast the poor tenants wouldn't be subjected to her drunken ire this night.

The two kunoichi approached the old building in comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts, yet aware of their surroundings. It could not be otherwise for trained ninja. This had often been the case of late, since Naruto had left the Village, and life had continued at an abated pace.

There was a certain intensity to the calm, though. Ino thought, as she took in the dance of light and shadows along the streets and alleys they traversed. The air seemed charged, as if lightning would strike at any moment. It had them all on edge as of late.

It's the wait that gets to you.

Had her thoughts not suddenly put her on alert she may have missed the bulky figure that came leapt down into the street from the roof of the butcher shop that stood adjacent to the apartment building.

The moonlight revealed it to be two people, one hanging loosely on the back of the other. The first was Hyuuga Neji, Lee's aristocratically handsome and perpetually distant teammate, and the person on his back was... Hinata?! Anko's startled hiss confirmed it. The broken figure lying limply on Neji's back was their wayward teammate. Ino and Anko rushed forward, where Neji brusquely shouldered his cousin into Anko's arms.

Ino couldn't see Hinata's face, as she had immediately curled in against Anko with a whimper of pain. The girl was obviously unconscious, as Hinata would never reveal any injury were she awake.

Not that she could have hid these.

Livid purple bruises covered her arms and legs. Her clothes were ripped and stained with dirt and blood stains which showed black in the night. Blood slid in rivulets down her legs to drip to the ground from her toes; blood from between her thighs. Ino quickly walled off the part of her mind that began screaming in anguish and rage.

Turning away from her friend and teammate, she glared at Neji, whose face was the same blank mask she'd always seen on the haughty boy's face, her eyes demanding explanation.

Neji's lip curled as Anko turned and strode into the apartment without a word. He met Ino's baleful look with utter contempt, before turning on his heel.

Ino grabbed his shoulder, talking as she did so, "Hold it, I think you-"

An opened palmed Jyuuken strike, so fast that Ino didn't even have time to be startled, halted centimeters from her forehead, she could feel the chakra splitting around her head and dispersing behind her harmlessly.

Holy shit.

Neji brushed her hand away from his shoulder like a particularly despised speck of dust and looked her in the eyes, his expression cold, and made colder by his high features and pitiless eyes, "Do not presume familiarity, Yamanaka-san, simply because you train with my teammate and sensei," he said, referring to his comrades in a tone most people reserved for the aftermath of stepping in dog shit.

Ino rocked back a step, her left hand fingering the knuckle of the sai at her lower back, before she forcibly dropped it loosely at her side, nonthreatening. Hyuuga Neji was not to be fucked with.

She watched silently as the boy turned away again, "Her condition isn't life threatening, I was able to stop them from that much, atleast," he remarked over his shoulder, his voice reaching her as little more than a jagged whisper from the darkness.

Ino stared after the departed young man for only a moment before the snide little voice inside her head reminded her that she would do well to check on her badly injured teammate, rather than checking out snobby bastards, even if they were gorgeous snobby bastards.

Her cheeks tinged pink, Ino quickly hurried up the stairs to her sensei's fourth floor flat. The apartment was plenty spacious for a lone woman who was out most of the time, having a small kitchen and dining area, a single bedroom and bath, and a spacious living room, complete with a fold out leather sofa, which Ino was wont to crash on. Not tonight though, it seemed, as the couch was currently occupied by the blond's teammate.

Ino approached quietly, her expression solemn as she stood at the foot of the couch where she watched as Anko, crouched over Hinata's head, performed what first aid on the unconscious girl.

The Yamanaka heiress was briefly guilty for feeling relieved that Hinata's form was shrouded in blankets; briefly because at that moment Anko leaned back on her heels and Ino was made aware of the full extent of Hinata's injuries.

Where once there had been two, lavender, pupil-less eyes, there were now only empty voids. Hinata's eyes had been completely gouged out. Dried blood matted her cheeks and neck.

Ino didn't realize she'd lost her balance until the hardwood impacted against her knees, momentarily bringing her out of her daze. She glanced at Anko, a considering frown curled the dark haired woman's full lips as she gazed into Hinata's empty face.

"Sensei…" Ino whispered, the moment having the sudden immense gravity of a funeral.

"I've sent for a medic, he should be here soon," she responded, her voice, typically even and certain in times of strife, suddenly leaden.

"What are the chances of her seeing again?"

"With a donor pair? None. Her optical nerves have been completely annihilated. She's stable, mostly, so the only thing the doctor will be able to do is prescribe medication."

Ino's heart plummeted. Hinata had once attempted to explain what the Byakugan was like to the Hyuuga. The totality of perspective given by the Advanced Bloodline, compared to normal vision, was as to the difference in view of a soaring eagle and an ant, and now she wouldn't even have that bug's view.

Ino understood, quite well Hinata's (and all Hyuuga's) desire to keep the Byakugan active at all times, despite the dire consequences of prolonged use. It even explained the Hyuuga's belief in iron self discipline. She understood because her urge to use chakra was at times overwhelming.

To be able to sense it, feel it there within her beckoning for her to use it. To let it fill her up, heighten the senses, and make the world come alive. Chakra was the drug to which all ninja were addicted, and Ino couldn't get a hit. Or take one, actually. One Jyuuken strike too many and her coils would collapse. It was a testament to Tsunade's chakra control that the Legendary Sannin could work with her chakra system at all.

The tense silence must have stretched longer than she though because it was suddenly broken by a knock at the door. Ino's Jounin sensei rose to open it without a word. In came a respectably aged medic-nin carrying a large scroll in her arms. Old medic-nins were a rarity, given the high mortality rate of the profession, second only to that of Genin.

Ino quickly moved away from the couch to give the middle aged, and thankfully female, medic room. She momentarily wrung her hands in indecision, before stalking to the kitchen to start tea.

Hinata would live, now she could be angry.

* * *

They held vigil beside Hinata's sleeping form long into the night. The sky had begun to lighten when Ino once again startled from sleep just shy of slipping from her chair to the floor.

Hinata had not once awakened during the night. Even when her skin turned pale and clammy with fever, and she thrashed against her blankets, trapped in the throes of some night terror, she did not rouse from her sleep.

The medical ninja had informed them that this would be the case, as her body rid itself of the waste material that had once been the eggs within her ovaries. Hinata had been sterilized as well as blinded, both indicators that it had been a Hyuuga that had inflicted the damage upon her. Her own clan had perpetrated such cruelty upon the young kunoichi. Former kunoichi, the young blonde woman mentally corrected, her thoughts as bleak and colorless as the gray light filtering through the curtains. Former clan too, now that she thought about it, remembering her lessons in clan law. Hinata had been disowned. Her eyes and reproductive ability destroyed to ensure that she would be a genetic dead end.

Ino felt exhausted, as if she didn't have anything else to feed the anger smoldering within her. Repeatedly she found herself wishing that Naruto was there, and then cursing herself and the missing Genin for it. She couldn't deny though, that she felt that the situation wouldn't feel so hopeless if only he were there. Anko had been ominously silent almost the entire time, and Ino was shamefully grateful that the older woman was out of the room, taking a shower from the sounds of it.

Shaking herself free of such morose thoughts, she slipped to her bare feet, and made her way to the small kitchen as her stomach reminded her that it was being neglected.

The Yamanaka heiress had scrounged up an apple when a string of hacking coughs spun her around and had her striding quickly towards her friend. By her rapid breathing and sightless groping, Ino knew she was awake at last. Rushing to calm the girl, she spoke soothingly as she slid her arms beneath her remarkably light teammate and set her shoulders against the arm of the couch.

"It's okay, Hinata. You're at sensei's apartment, on her couch. You've been here since last night."

Hinata calmed somewhat at that, though Ino could feel the smaller girl's body trembling through the hand she grasped in one of her own.

"Water… please," she asked, her voice timid and afraid and far from anything that Ino associated with the brash girl before her.

"Of course," Ino said, placating, as she helped Hinata cup a glass of water which had been sitting on the end table for just this purpose. The blind girl drank noisily, her hands shaking so badly that more water ended of trickling down her chin and cheeks than between her lips. Ino tried not to stare at the strips of gauze covering the empty caverns where her eyes had been.

Ino took the glass from her and set it back on the table. Hinata flinched at the small sound of glass striking wood. Ino found herself at a loss for words that wouldn't sound of empty comfort in this situation. She was completely out of her element here, but Hinata was her friend, and she couldn't do nothing, passivity was no part of her nature. Besides, she was loyal, unlike some people.

"Hinata-chan," she began softly, hoping her voice didn't sound as reedy as she thought, "how are you feeling?"

Even through the multiple layers of cloth over the former Hyuuga's eyes Ino could feel the bleakness of that hollow eyed gaze, which, was pointed over her shoulder.

"I can't see!" the newly invalid croaked hoarsely, "I can't SEE!"

Hinata's mouth worked, but no sound came out as the enormity of her loss overwhelmed the girl. Ino watched helplessly as the smaller girl curled into a fetal position, her body wracked with tearless sobs. The Yamanaka heiress knelt by her friends head and stroked her mangy locks of blue-black hair, not knowing what to do.

And suddenly, Anko was there.

Her eyes were harsh, and Ino could have sworn the temperature in the room plummeted several notches. By pure force of presence and body language, Anko maneuvered Ino out of the way without even touching or looking at the young blonde.

"Get up," the Jounin Kunoichi commanded with a hiss.

Hinata flinched at the steel in the voice, her sobs quieting in surprise and a hint of fear. She didn't get up.

"That was an order, Genin. Stand. Up. Now," Anko's volume rose in pitch, until she was barking at her charge.

Ino gaped, "Sensei, stop it! What are you, mmpf!"

The blonde gagged on her next word as Anko leveled a glare at her so intense that Ino rocked back on her heels, and took a small step back to maintain balance.

In the meantime Hinata was wobbling to her feet, her knees shaking so badly that they once crashed together and sent her tumbling back onto the couch. Eventually she made it to her feet, standing infirm and irresolute before her immediate commanding officer.

"What is your name and rank?" Anko questioned, her tone that of a season interrogator.

"Hyuug-," Hinata cut herself off with a strangled sob before beginning again, "I am Hinata, Genin Kunoichi of Konohagakure no Sato."

"Genin, recite the 25th Rule of the Shinobi Credo."

Hinata began haltingly, obviously confused, "N-no mat-t-ter what the situ-situation… a shinobi m-must keep emo-motions on the inside. You, you… must ma-make the mission your top priorit-priority, and y-you m-must possess a heart that never shows tears."

Ino was fighting back tears herself as she mouthed the words along with Hinata, who seemed to be shaking more with exhaustion than emotion now. Nevertheless,

"Again," Anko ordered.

And so it continued, Hinata recited the 25th Rule until repetition and exhaustion had robbed her of any hesitancy she initially felt. After what must have been the twelfth time Anko didn't make her say it again. Hinata teetered dangerously but remained standing.

Ino discreetly wiped the moistness from her cheeks and stepped closer to her two teammates. Anko's initial stern ferocity had dwindled to focused concern. When she spoke, her tone was noticeably warmer.

"Hinata, you must decide, will you remain a ninja? The loss of sight is no minor handicap, but it has and can be overcome with enough effort. What will you choose?"

Hinata tried to wider her stance, perhaps into something more assertive, but only ended up losing her balance and stumbling. Ino quick stepped forward and caught her and took up position beside the other girl, lending her support, physical and otherwise.

"Sensei, I apologize for my shameful display of weakness. I choose to remain as a member of Team 12, if you both will have me."

Ino found herself smiling for the first time in what felt like eons at Hinata's overly formal response. It was just so unlike Hinata that she couldn't find it anything but amusing. She saw a small smile flicker across the ex-Hyuuga's face at Anko's snort.

"Then I believe it's time you two learned _Muon Satsujin Jutsu_, but first," the Jounin's eyes narrowed with menace, "tell us everything."

* * *

"Ah, young Sarutobi-kun. It's been a while."

The Sandaime Hokage allowed a small smile as he came to a halt in the center of the jungle clearing, where Kakuzu sat upon a pile of headless corpses.

There was a large burlap sack sitting upright next to the pile. Sarutobi teased it open with a flick of one ringed, liver spotted finger, confirming that it was filled with the disembodied heads of the team of Waterfall hunter-nin.

"Indeed, Kakuzu-san," Sarutobi replied as he closed the sack, "you're not the easiest person to locate. I've been searching for nearly three months."

The tall ninja stepped nimbly from the macabre hill and lifted the sack over his shoulder, "The thing about being a bounty hunter is that people tend to hide from you. You have to get inside their heads, think like they do, and that means 'not being the easiest person to locate.'"

Sarutobi shrugged, conceding the point to the arrogant older ninja, as he began walking a circle to survey the field of battle, it seemed the team of Hunter-nin had put up quite a fight. Signs of combat scored the surrounding foliage and earth.

"Have a bit of trouble with your latest catch?" Sarutobi questioned, returning his attention to the cloaked man at it's center.

Kakuzu rolled his broad shoulders and glared down at him. The heart snatcher was a big believer in respecting one's elders and such a comment was seen as insolence from the decades younger Sandaime.

"Did you know that I fought your Shodai? _There_ was a real ninja, not like you pups today. That man was unequaled on the field of battle...," his voice trailed off as he became lost in his memories, "And your kin as well, Sandaime. You could scarcely move through Fire Country without running into Senju infestations everywhere."

Abruptly the ex-Waterfall nin's dark eyes narrowed and his body language shifted overtly, "Where's Zetsu? Why are you here, Sarutobi?"

Sarutobi, his red cloud patterned, black cloak sliding along the thick jungle floor in his wake, completed his circle, "Leader-san sent Zetsu to Lightning to locate any _jinchuriki_ there. He sent me to find you because we have a problem. You see, you've killed yet another partner for the bounty on their heads. This is something of a liability, as individuals capable of subduing the Biju or their hosts aren't particularly common."

"So you're my new partner, _Professor_?" he asked, a greedy sparkle glittering in his dark orbs as he doubtless began to calculate which nation would pay the highest price for the Sandaime Hokage's head.

Sarutobi shook his head, "Not quite."

The bag over Kakuzu's shoulder exploded into a massive column of fire with enough force to shake the ground. Kakuzu and the pile of corpses were instantly immolated in the fiery blast, while Sarutobi stood safely outside the simple containment seal he'd marked on the ground, his Akatsuki robes fluttering around him as the hot wind blew through the clearing. The noise was deafening, and Sarutobi made a mental note to congratulate Jiraiya on the effectiveness of his exploding tags.

Without warning an arm trailing thick black cables burst from the smoke with startling speed. Sarutobi choked as the powerful fingers wrapped around his throat and lifted him bodily from the ground and slammed him into the trunk of a tree over seven meters from where he'd been standing.

The monstrous form of the immortal Akatsuki member appeared a moment later, the thick black cording withdrawing into his grotesquely bulging arm as he drew closer, his gray eyes narrowed with anger and anticipation.

"Sloppy," the older ninja hissed darkly, before slamming Sarutobi into the tree again with emphasis.

The former Hokage let out a hoarse croak before abruptly dissolving into mud, which immediately solidified around his arm trapping Kakuzu to the tree briefly. Sarutobi wouldn't give him a chance to free himself as he rose from the ground behind the towering nuke-nin.

"_Doton: Doryū Taiga!_"

The earth lurched into motion beneath Kakuzu's feet, the unrelenting river of mud crushing him face first into the tree, forcing a muffled grunt of pain, but Sarutobi wasn't finished yet, and the seasoned nin's annoyance was sharpened by the grudging feeling of respect for the young pup as he felt Sarutobi's chakra spike as he released yet another jutsu.

"_Doton: Doryūdan!"_

Respect aside, Kakuzu had had enough. It was time to teach this upstart a lesson in combination ninjutsu, and it would be the last lesson the fool ever learned.

"_Raitōn: Gian!" _

Sarutobi threw himself to the ground, wincing internally at how graceless he'd become. The spear of lightning sizzled by, neatly decapitating his Earth dragon and nearly punching through his torso.

His concentration ruined, the Doton _jutsu_ fell apart and Kakuzu freed himself, a ghastly mask giving face to the hideous mass of cord hovering at his side. This was quickly joined by three others.

The last, however, quickly collapsed and melted, it's eagle mask disintegrating on the spot. It seemed that the initial explosion had done more than rip away Kakuzu's cloak. The former Takigakure shinobi spat in disgust and the disturbing shapes of the remaining masks writhed in response to their master's mood.

Good, Sarutobi thought grimly, as he tossed his own cloak aside, revealing his wiry form clothed in his traditional black and chain mesh combat gear. The First had left detailed documents on nearly all of his opponents, the few that had survived. From this Sarutobi suspected that Kakuzu would try to maintain distance while launching one destructive ninjutsu after another. Sooner or later one would hit if the Sandaime wasn't on his toes.

Smoke continued to curl around the feet of both combatants, lending an otherworldly cast to the darkness of the dense jungle floor. Silence reigned, as all wildlife had long since departed at the sounds of battle.

"I am… perturbed that Leader-sama has seen fit to remove me from the organization, and that he sent _you_ to do the deed," the pale, angry eyes narrowed, "Unless you are acting on your own and trying to destroy Akatsuki from within. You never were part of the cause, Sarutobi. No matter, your head will draw a handsome price from any of the Five. And your _heart_ is _mine!"_

Kakuzu leapt into the air, the thick black threads exploding from his form as they grappled onto branches and tree trunks to keep him suspended in the air, his remaining masks sweeping out to snare Sarutobi in a pincer.

A dark scowl deepened the lines of time in the Sandaime's face as he prepared for the onslaught, his hands flashing through signs.

_"__Doton: Domu! __Katon: Zukokku! __Suiton: __Hahonryuu__!__Raiton: Gian!__"_

The four techniques bore down on Sarutobi in quick succession, the fire and earth from his left, and the water and lightning from Kakuzu and the remaining mask that hovered on his right. Sarutobi gave them scant attention as he slammed both palms into the ground with authority.

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu:_ _Amatsu kongou keiei!"_

A different, far deeper yell sounded a half second later, yelling something Kakuzu could not make out. Nor could he see, blinded by his own techniques.

The small fireball hit the ground and erupted into a raging wave of fire twice the size of that made by the earlier explosion. It spread at a blinding pace and reached Sarutobi's position at the same moment that the large earth spear connected with a horrific crash and explosion of molten earth. The torrent of water rolled over the fire, dousing it even as it was transformed into scalding steam that was then charged by the racing shaft of lightning into a cloud of death.

Kakuzu moved quickly up into the air by way of his grasping tendrils, changing position in case Sarutobi had survived the onslaught by some trick and to get a better view. The steam was dissipating rapidly, revealing the horrendous damage to the clearing and surrounding foliage. Trees were toppled and burnt, trunks giving away under heat of Kakuzu's _Zukokku_ and the force of his mighty water and earth techniques.

A deep furrow marked the ground where Sarutobi had stood and Kakuzu's sharp eyes followed the path of destruction only to find a towering black wall where the smoldering remains of his prey should have been. No, not a wall, it was a metal shield, like those used by archers in the service of daimyo. The shield shook suddenly, then with a pop transformed into a massive gorilla.

Kakuzu loomed closer and lower, his hearts pulling in closer in response to his agitation, and saw that Sarutobi was surrounded by a phalanx of the beasts and now carried a long bo staff in his wrinkled hands. Sharp eyes sized him up warily and the older ninja glowered at his opponent. He sized up the Sandaime Hokage's reinforcements warily, wondering if they posed a significant danger to his hearts. The first, that massive black furred gorrilla, was equipped much like Sarutobi. By the size of it it must have enourmous strength, and if it had evinced the ability to use jutsu then it would be safer to assume that all of them could.

A smaller ape, a chimp wearing full samurai regalia with the symbol of Konoha emblazoned on the front of its kabuto and bearing a ridiculously long odachi, adroitly leapt onto the shoulders of the lead gorrilla and bared his teeth at the hovering Kakuzu. It patted the gorrilla on the head and kicked its heels into the heaving flanks of the ape, just as if he were a horse.

Shaking his head at the samurai chimp's antics was an orangutan wearing the orange robes of a monk. It's hands were tucked into the sleeves of the opposite arm and the crown of its head was bald.

The last of the summons was a baboon wearing sack cloth pants held up by a rope belt. The belt also served as a rack for half a dozen gourds of various sizes.

Further examination was forestalled as Sarutobi suddenly disappeared in an explosion of smoke and the gorilla let out a thunderous roar and charged in a diagonal rush, the chimp on his back chattering excitedly as it waved its sword with wild abandon. Kakuzu leapt up back, unwilling to allow himself to be caught in the trap, moving his mask to close on the charging beasts while he prepared to unleash another string of devastation as he took to the trees.

Too late he remembered to look for Sarutobi, who exploded from the ground below, staff less than a blur as he engaged Kakuzu up close. The older ninja managed to dodge the initial strike, and Sarutobi blew past, only to twist in mid-air and launch an improbable overhand hammer strike with the glossy black staff.

Kakuzu shifted back, his threads moving him at the barest thought, but was surprised as the staff suddenly extended in length, crashing into his shoulder. Even through his _Kurogane Karada _the blow was enough to dislocate his shoulder and shatter his collarbone, nothing he couldn't fix, if only he had a chance.

The _Kami no Shinobi_ seemed intent on denying him that opportunity as he pressed his attack, leaping through the branches with the ease of a monkey. Kakuzu realized that his attacks were severely limited with Sarutobi this close and the majority of his threads occupied with mobility and support.

Still on the retreat the nuke-nin began reeling in his masks. It was then that he realized his second mistake.

"Now!" he roared into the air.

Sarutobi _shunshin_'d inside Kakuzu's guard, an extremely risky move against any opponent, his staff whirling, cutting. The masked ninja saw the severed threads falling around him, taking his confidence in winning this battle going with them. With a roar he grabbed Sarutobi in an iron grip, staff and all, even as threads exploded into motion around and from every joint in Kakuzu's body, wrapping them both in a cocoon of thread even as they plummeted to the earth.

The impact was barely felt through the heavy fabric of the constricting chrysalis. Sarutobi was slowly being crushed to death against Kakuzu's rock hard body. He struggled to draw breath as the immense pressure Kakuzu exerted began cracking ribs. It was difficult to tell, but Kakuzu didn't appear to be breathing at all, and Sarutobi detachedly wondered if he even needed to. The Sandaime could feel jolts and tremors coming from the older ninja and realized that he was in even more pain than Sarutobi himself.

A deeper darkness than that of the inside of the cocoon began taking over his vision, even as the muffled roars of his various ape summons went on unabated as they destroyed the masks that he had severed from Kakuzu with his adamantine staff.

Abruptly, the pressure increased two-fold and Sarutobi very nearly blacked out from the pain and lack of oxygen. Just as suddenly the pressure began to lessen little by little, and the Sandaime's mind began to connect the dots as he felt two hairy arms slide around him and begin to push.

The venerable old ninja could literally feel the tension in Enma's muscles as he strained against the trap they found themselves in, and Sarutobi gasped as air entered and tiny pinpricks of light began to appear between the thick bands of thread.

Sarutobi could make out Kakuzu's face and torso now. His eyes showed his incredulity and burgeoning fear. It had been a long, long time since he'd been so vulnerable, so close to death. Down to only the heart beating in his chest and surrounded by enemies.

Enma grunted and the gaps surged open further. Sarutobi could now make out a few of the gigantic feet of the apes around them as they desperately tried to assist their king. Sarutobi channeled chakra into his arms and tried to lift them from where they were trapped at his sides.

It was then that the gravity of the situation shifted. Sarutobi saw the change in the nuke-nin's eyes: from desperation to survive to grim resolve.

The bands of thread abruptly compressed, and Sarutobi's arms snapped like dry twigs. He yelled hoarsely as pain flooded his senses. His arms burned with jagged fire as he bit down on his cheek until it bled.

Large fingers the color of ash wormed their way into the widest gap to Sarutobi's left and struggled to open it with minimal results. The opening was about the size of a narrow window. Sarutobi could get through if only he could move, but Enma would never be able to make it.

Enma seemed to sense this as well, "Go," the great king said through gritted teeth, the strain evident in his voice, "go, you old bastard and tell my son… that I always knew that he would be a better king than I ever could be. That I've always been proud of him."

With that he heaved and the choice was taken out of Sarutobi's hands as he was grabbed by his arm and yanked out of the cocoon and consciousness.

* * *

When Sarutobi came to the first thing he saw were the tall gates of Konoha in the distance. The second thing he saw was a gigantic fist torpedoing into his jaw. It popped, dislocating as bones are wont to do when hammered by an irate 272 kilogram gorilla. He was lucky it hadn't been crushed.

"Listen well, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure," Ennosuke, son of Enma and now Monkey King, said as he loomed before Sarutobi's swimming vision, "the contract between Ape and Konoha has been violated. The King has died in defense of a shinobi acting against the interests of Konoha. This is my judgment as Monkey King. May you one day know the pain you have caused my people."

Sarutobi could only look on, silently nursing his broken jaw and wounded soul and unable to pass on Enma's final message, as Ennosuke disappeared in a large puff of smoke. Enma must have told his son about Akatsuki. In his wake a ring clattered to the earthen road. The old ninja collapsed to his knees and slowly moved his broken arm until he could grasp the ring lying in the dirt. It took monumental effort to make it to his feet and take that first step towards the gates, but he was the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, and he would persevere at all costs to save his grandson's life. No matter the cost. He raised his head.

The road to Konoha had never seemed longer.

* * *

When Naruto had first started this training he hadn't known what to expect. In hindsight, this type of endurance exercise should have been exactly what he should have known was coming his way. At first, as Tenzo had sent more and more pummeling branches and hard hitting shafts of wood at him he had gotten angry at his utter inability to cope with the sheer number of blows coming his way and banging him up. The Kyuubi had found him easy pickings.

After the first few lessons and a thorough examination by both Tenzo and one of the resident Medic-Nins, the Jounin who could somehow repress the Demon concluded that each time the Kyuubi took control it fundamentally changed Naruto's psyche, as well as inducing physical changes. It toughened his body, made it more difficult to sustain an injury in the same place more than once. His senses sharpened, and even his diet was affected. Naruto had gone from finding leafy vegetables tolerable to the point where the taste made him nauseated and he would usually regurgitate anything he managed to choke down. He preferred his meat bloody rare and would probably eat it raw if he ever came across it and was hungry enough. His eyes were better at tracking moving targets than stationary and his night vision improved, if not excessively.

Even the way he moved changed -- became more predatory. He was a stalker, and it showed in the way he fought. He often avoided open battles in favor of incapacitating opponents in a sudden unexpected rush.

But the physical changes did not concern Tenzo. It was the affect on the boy's mind that had led him to forbid the Trainee to draw on the Demon Fox's power. Each time it left the blond more prone to strong emotions and not necessarily limited to negative ones. He was made more susceptible to extreme hunger and carnality just as much as rage and bloodlust. It was too dangerous to allow the young man to try harnessing the biju's power until he'd had more training in controlling himself.

It had taken over two weeks of constant training of both his mind and body to suppress the Kyuubi's murderous rage even fractionally. It was another week before he'd been able to banish the Kyuubi once it'd taken over. Naruto felt that he had spent more meditating in that first month than in his whole life up to that point. Tenzo was a relentless taskmaster and pushed him harder with each lesson.

He wasn't allowed to slack off from his Root education either. And the lessons _were _fascinating. He'd learned much and had come into his Wind Affinity with a strength that surprised even him. When he moved he was as soft and silent as the breeze, his limbs imbued with the lightening effect of wind chakra. His strikes were fast and powerful.

So it was here and now, three months later, that he faced Tenzo's gauntlet with poise and confidence. His face betraying nothing as he mentally prepared for the coming battle. Emotion was weakness. That was what experience and teachers had taught him. Shinobi were tools weren't they? That's what he'd always been taught. Even Sandaime-sensei's words were little help.

_"You seem unfocused," Sarutobi-sensei said wryly as he watched Naruto pick himself up out of the dirt._

_Naruto nodded brusquely, the mild reprimand enough to cause shame and embarassment. There was nothing the young boy desired more than his sensei's approval. The training continued but the wise old shinobi could sense that something still troubled his protege. He did not press the issue. He knew that Naruto would broach the subject with him if he could not solve the problem himself. Naruto had always been an independent child, and the break with his adopted family had only served to strengthen that proclivity to keep his thoughts to himself. _

_The young blond only noticed on a subconscious level that his teacher and grandfather had ended their practice spar earlier than normal. It was the middle of winter, and the night came on quickly, bringing with it a noticeable chill. After cleaning himself, Naruto set about making hot tea for his grandfather, knowing the cold bothered the older man more than he'd admit. He moved by rote rather than through conscious attention, his mind still occupied with that day's Academy lesson._

_He located Sarutobi-sensei in front of the fire in his favorite armchair, a book open in his lap. He held out his hand for the tea cup without looking up, and Naruto dutifully placed the fine china cup in his hand. Abruptly he knelt before his Master and sole familial figure, forehead pressed to the rug and hands flat on the floor before him._

_Sarutobi sighed, and Naruto knew that his overt formality of late frustrated his teacher, but the Demon Jailor, though he knew it not then, had an increasingly difficult time connecting with the man he admired above all others._

_"You have a question, pupil?" Sarutobi responded wearily but not without warmth._

_"Yes, sensei."_

_"Ask then, boy," Sarutobi said with a hint of false grouchiness that was his right as an elder statesman. _

_"Today in the Academy I was taught that shinobi are the tools of the village, to be wielded by their superiors and masters. That emotion hinders the ability to perform effectively. Yet you've always taught me that emotions can used to strengthen our abilities, and I-"_

_"You are confused by the opposing ideas," Sarutobi finished for his grandson._

_"Yes, sensei."_

_"I cannot help you here, Naruto. The decision is a personal choice for each and every shinobi. That rule is in place to help protect ninja from the emotional pain of some of the things they must see and do. The life of a ninja is not easy. It is not a child's fairytale. I have known fine men and women of both creeds. Some ninja do not have the will necessary to overcome their emotions, so they endeavor to cease to feel those emotions. Others use those emotions to fuel their abilities and focus their will. That is the essence of the Will of Fire, to use the love one had for his or her family and village to find the strength to protect them at all costs," Sarutobi paused, pulling his old pipe from a pocket hidden within his robes. Naruto waited patiently for his teacher to go through the familiar ritual of lighting it and soon the pungent scent of tobacco lent itself to his words as he continued._

_"I will tell you that both paths can lead to danger if taken too far. I have known men so lacking in emotion that they have lost all sense of morality and fallen into the abyss of depravity and desolation. I've also met those so consumed by their hatred or lust for violence or revenge or even despair that they are wholly consumed. Neither end is one I would choose. The goal is moderation. Too much or too little, both lead you from who you are and then you may as well be dead."_

_His grandfather had not seemed inclined to speak further. His eyes were distant as he stared into the fire, pipe clenched tightly between his teeth. Naruto quietly stood, bowed to his Master and retreated to his room, thoughts a whirl. _

Wise words, Naruto thought again, as he had then, while he twisted and twirled through and past thrusting and hammering lengths of wood that exploded at him from every direction. But the Kyuubi had taken the choice out of his hands, he contemplated gravely as he somersaulted away from the whiplike tip of a green sapling. His musing was not tinged with bitterness or anger. He'd accepted it as his burden to bear and did not question it. Nor was it viewed through a filter of homesickness or longing. Less and less he wondered how his old family and friends were doing. It had surprised and worried him how little he seemed to miss them, but he didn't let it bother him any more. They were strong and could take care of themselves.

The branches attacking him were as wide across as his shoulders and where he could not dodge the he cut. A dervish of wind whorled around his body, slicing into the animated lumber and forming a cyclone of fallen leaves around his position. His body moved automatically as he extended his senses to their limit. Grasping vines now joined the charging logs, which had grown to the width of a two horse cart. He danced under, over and even on the speeding currents of living plant, but eventually the assault began to overwhelm him. A reaching vine tugged him into the path of an oncoming branch before he could rid himself of the leafy feeler.

The force of the blow left him bruised and breathless even as it hurled him up into the air, his _Kaze bure-ka_ only doing superficial damage to the offending limb. Flat topped columns of wood gave chase and carried him up through the forest canopy. He didn't have time to take in the impressive bird's eye view of the forest stretching off to the horizon, though. Wooden dummies sprouted up from the tops of the surrounding columns and Naruto abruptly realized he was surrounded on the improvised platform.

The surprisingly agile dummies rushed him all at once and furious blows were launched in his direction. Several connected as Naruto tried to fend off a dozen opponents at once with just taijutsu. Performing an awkward off balance jump, he quickly flew threw handsigns and called out.

"_**Fūton: Daitoppa**!_"

His _Wind breaker_ morphed into a blast of wind in every direction, throwing silent, faceless dummies into one another or skidding off the edge platform for a long drop to the forest floor, and then he went to work. He was on top of the wooden men before they could regroup. Pulling his bo staff free, he unleashed crushing blows to the vulnerable joints of the wood dummies. The versatile flow of wind surrounding him lent speed to the weapon, and it was a deadly blur in his hands.

Soon the dummies were destroyed. Naruto breathed heavily at the respite but was still on guard for whatever Tenzo would throw at him next.

A shift in the air alerted him a fraction of a second before the wooden blade crashed into his collar from behind. He wore no protective covering aside from his typical long sleeved shirt and the blow _hurt. _Ignoring the pain he rolled with the force of the blow, performing a side roll to his forward left and spinning as he came to his feet, staff already whirling around him defensively as Tenzo came at him head on, wooden katana its deceptively thin and brittle in appearance belied the brute force it could bring to bear despite lacking an edge.

The Demon Jailor didn't even have a moment to _think _of formulating an attack as Tenzo pressed him with blazing speed. Naruto struggled for calm as the _Mokuton _user battered him back again and again, trapping his exits and limiting his options as he rapidly forced Naruto to the edge of the high platform. The Root Trainee grimaced as he over reached on a desperation strike and had several knuckles broken when Tenzo's sword crashed into his hand.

His staff went clattering to the ground and Naruto quickly launched three shuriken in rapid succession, trying to give himself some space. That hope was dashed as the ANBU Captain effortlessly deflected the projectiles and leapt forward to close the distance. Naruto tried to shift backwards but realized he'd run out of room, his heel dangled over the precipice. Fear coiled in his gut as he withdrew a kunai, focusing past the fright and its accompanying black anger that would be his undoing.

Sapphire eyes narrowed in concentration, he narrowly slipped the older ninja's downward stroke and struck, locking Tenzo's arm with his elbow and heaving himself backwards. Momentum was on his side and allowed him to lift the grown man from his feet. The _jinchuriki _executed a backbend, his feet stuck to the platform as he lauched Tenzo into space, or tried to. His wily opponent had abandoned his sword and locked his hand around Naruto's wrist, using the Trainee's arm like a rapelling cable he landed on the side of the platform and stuck there.

Naruto refused to give the ANBU time to recover and used the grip to perform a back flip and deliver a donkey kick to Tenzo's head with both feet. The sudden mauneuver lifted the man from his horizontal position and sent him spiraling to the ground below. Immediately, the towering platform began to lower itself. Naruto, his bruises and breaks slowly healing themselves, climbed back to the top of the platform and waited.

Soon Naruto stood on the solid ground of the forest floor and Tenzo, the real one rather than a _Moku bunshin_ made himself known. He didn't critique the fight, that was not important.

"Better, but you began to panic at the edge," the brown haired man noted in his usual monotone, "Did you feel anything from the Kyuubi?"

"No. The seal remained dormant," Naruto said, his tone equally clipped and to the point.

"Good. Dismissed. You will meditate for one hour until your next class," Tenzo ordered before glancing briefly at the sky and disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Their relationship was not close. Nothing more than that of instructor and student. Naruto had at first wondered if the man was a fellow spy for the Hokage, but he had seen nothing to indicate such a thing. No secret correspondence or symbols and assistance other than what was expected of him as a teacher. The sapphire eyed young man knew it was childish to expect such things, _especially _if Tenzo was a spy or a double agent. The irony of being a spy was that you gathered information, but rarely saw the complete picture.

As he left, Naruto glanced to the west, the direction Tenzo had looked. There were storm clouds in the distance.

* * *

The storm rolled ever closer, as massive and imposing as any mountain. Insistent gusts of wind tugged at his hair and clothing in fits and starts, as if a petulant child demanding attention. Thunder drummed in ominous harmony with the crash of waves against the rocky, heedless shore, launching spray dozens of meters into the air, lending a salty scent to the breeze.

Naruto's face betrayed nothing as he measured the tempest's inexorable incursion into the vulnerable arms of the bay from his high perch atop the rocky cliffs – for there was nothing to betray.

In three short months the anticipation he'd once felt at the sight of lightning arcing across the impenetrable background of storm clouds had ceased to exist. He didn't mourn the loss, had aided in its destruction. Anticipation precluded expectation. To expect was to assume. Assumption led to death. This was fact, and Naruto had taken it to heart.

The _jinchuriki_ had had to learn quickly here at ANBU Base South, secret headquarters for Danzo's _Ne _organization. Those who didn't carry their weight fast were disposed of, either by the hands of their peers or by the grueling discipline meted out by the instructors of Generation One and Two. Naruto had already been forced to murder two fellow students. The first had been some imbecile whose name the blond Genin had never learned. The foolish boy had challenged him publicly. The instructors would have killed the fool had Naruto not, and then Naruto himself for failing to deal with his own problems.

The second had simply been too interested in his comings and goings. Her curiosity served as the catalyst to her body becoming sea floor carrion. He harbored no regret for the necessity of the act, not now.

Tenzo had bluntly informed him that he should expect no special treatment. He would live or die as they all did: alone save his partner. All others were threats and not to be trusted. The first month had seen him struggling to adapt to the cutthroat existence at the base; the mission given to him by the Hokage put aside in the contest for mere survival.

Intense homesickness had haunted him for a time, and Sai, whose friendly persona was nothing more than a thin façade hiding a killer as ruthless as any other, had been a vital example during those first difficult weeks.

His true indoctrination had begun then. The Konoha Academy was sunshine and daffodils next to the ANBU Root training regimen. No quarter was given, and if asked for the answer was a slit throat and a long fall into a dark sea.

Torture and Interrogation, Assassination, Infiltration, Combat, and Information Gathering were not just classes; they were a way of life. Naruto had been slated for Assassination and Infiltration. All students took Combat. Only the G3's'and higher were allowed to attend Torture and Interrogation for the moment. Naruto and Sai were G4's.

Despite it being a general class, open combat was heavily frowned upon; that frown often directed at the corpse of whoever had unleashed some idiotically flashy _jutsu_ in a fight.

Lightning bloomed and the subsequent thunder shook the earth as the sound rebounded from the cliff face. Rain, cold and stinging lashed his face as the blond boy stood and made his way back down into the shelter of the base, Wind natured chakra lending quickness and fluidity to his movements. He'd spent enough time planning. It was time to act. Unwittingly, a small smile curved his lips.

Less than an hour later, Naruto, Genin turned ANBU _Ne_ trainee, glanced over at his nearly constant companion of the past quarter year. For all that the other boy was his antithesis in coloring, dark where he himself was light; they shared similar expressions of unconcern.

Milling around along with them were approximately five dozen others, ranging from the upper teens to as young as nine or ten. A few struggled to maintain their calm as the critical hour drew nigh.

Rain and wind tossed debris pelted down through the narrow slit of sky above, making any exposed paths treacherous, and drenching them all in the process. Soon they'd all be ordered into the bloated river adjacent to them by the blank faced G2s and leering G1s standing on a sheltered outcropping above them. Only the promise of the storm intensifying stayed them from beginning their entertainment.

Sai shifted slightly on the balls of his feet, the fingers of his right hand twitching ever so slightly. Naruto knew this to be a sign of his impatience to return to his drawings, but this was mandatory for all three Generations currently in training. There were rumors that Danzo was already looking to put together a G6 for even younger recruits.

"Focus, Sai," the Demon Jailor muttered just loud enough to be heard, "I know this isn't really necessary for us, but if all we needed to worry about was the Plunge itself we wouldn't be here."

Sai spared him a dark eyed glance, waterlogged hair plastered to his hitai-ate, "You think there's anyone left in our group foolish enough to try us after the last attempt?"

Naruto shook his head, none of their fellow G4s would soon forget the gruesome sight of Sai's ink splattered across the bed, ceiling, and walls of the barracks – nor the scarlet mixed into it.

"It's not our group we need to be wary of," Naruto answered with a barely perceptible flick of his eyes towards the bulk of the G3s.

"Ah."

"Yeah," Naruto answered.

"Worried?" Sai queried, trusting his partner's instincts.

"Not overly, it's too obvious."

"After then… unless we strike first."

"Death comes unexpectedly," Naruto concluded.

Sai smiled politely.

Thunder crashed and echoed in the narrow ravine and the signal, a kunai embedding itself in some careless G5's foot, came. Naruto discretely checked his hip pouch before taking a deep breath and following Sai into the torrent.

The Plunge was just that, throwing oneself into the rushing flow of the storm-swelled river, being grabbed by its mighty undertow and flushed through the sharp twists and turns of any of the many underwater tributaries before being expelled out into the bay, where a whirlpool a kilometer across sought to suck the trainees down into oblivion.

Darkness absolute shrouded Naruto's vision as the undertow drew him down into its depths—the Shinigami beckoning him into its welcoming embrace.

* * *

Naruto wished himself luck as he watched the _kage bunshin _slip into the roaring river after Sai. Clad in grays and blacks to break up his form, with a gray bandana covering his eye catching blond hair, Naruto hid beneath an overhang a dozen meters above the quickly departing senior G1s and 2s. He knew from past experience that the entertainment would continue from a better vantage point.

Waiting until they'd vanished from sight, Naruto loosed himself from his perch with a push of his legs and leapt to a nearby platform. From there he quickly and stealthily made his way lower and deeper into the ravine, following the path one of his more useful summons, a Pygmy Marmoset that he called Zaru, had outlined for him. His tertiary goal was to gather incriminating evidence against Danzo, which was in unbelievable, if subtle, abundance in the teachings here. His secondary goal was to finish mapping out the base in it's entirety, as Tsunade didn't trust the intel Danzo had made available to her. His primary goal was to hide summoning scrolls throughout the base for the eventual assault. If successful it would be a major coupe for the Godaime and would rid her of Danzo and his meddlesome opposition.

Far from stupid, Naruto was also initiating a number of failsafes of his own against the unfortunate discovery of his clandestine activities, most of which were grounded in his Infiltration studies. It was ironic. Root's teachings would be their own undoing. Under normal circumstances it would likely be impossible for an untested Genin to carry out such an intricate deception. Yet it was just that unliklihood that worked in Naruto's favor. The very idea of a Konoha Genin operating against and amid ANBU caliber shinobi in the depths of Fire Country was absurd. Even ninja could fall prey to their own preconceptions. It was a blindingly obvious ploy to try an exploratory infiltration when defenses were supposedly at their lowest. No experienced operative would even consider it, nor would those on guard. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy and Naruto marvelled at the ingenuity of the Hokage to exploit it.

Naruto slipped into the deep black of an empty cave system below the forbidden areas of the base, where high level missions were planned and full members trained and lived. This particular series of caves was below the water level of the river and regularly flooded during spring, and was thus never used. Unlike the well maintained portions of the base, this series of unlighted caves was full of dead ends, hellishly deep pools of water, and sudden dangerous drop offs. Through extensive use of shadow clones and the enhanced senses given to him by the captive demon, Naruto had created a rough map of the trecherous area.

He put that knowledge to good use as he made his way, blind, deeper and higher through the slippery caverns. The air smelled and tasted of wet earth and The Demon Jailor's sensitive ears picked up the tumult of rushing water behind the walls of rock, and was pleased that the fickle river had not decided to blast open a new course this day. Progress was relatively slow, and more than once Naruto nearly lost his footing as he felt and remembered his way through stalactite filled natural passages.

Time had little meaning here beneath the earth, but Naruto guessed that maybe an hour had passed since his doppleganger had entered the river. He had time, not much, but he wouldn't let hastiness ruin all his work. He was rewarded a short time later when he heard voices echoing down through the tunnels. A result, he knew, of a high, narrow shaft connecting this cave system to the kitchens of the Root center.

It wasn't long until he was following the dimly lit and soot stained shaft into a natural chimney above the cold ovens. The kitchen was still lit and Naruto, inching head first down the thin chute, poked his head out and did a quick survey. An older man, probably part of the live-in cleaning crew was singing softly to himself as he mopped the floor. Naruto waited until his back was turned to drop down behind the row of large stone ovens.

The blonde held his breath, eyes narrowing as the singing abruptly cut off, only to release it in a silent sigh as the wet plop of the mop striking tile sounded and the soft singing resumed. Shaking his head, Naruto willed himself to focus. No mistakes could be tolerated, and it wouldn't matter if a civilian or shinobi sounded the alarm, he'd still be dead. But perhaps he could use this to his advantage.

Rising slowly, Naruto focused his attention and chakra on his target and spoke the words of the justsu in his mind as he performed the necessary seals and released his chakra.

_Nehan Shōja no Jutsu._

The sleep inducing genjutsu quickly took effect as the old janitor quickly decided it was time for a nap, abruptly dropping down against the wall. Naruto let out another breath. Genjutsu were _not_ his forte. The blond attributed the success as much to the fact that the victim was elderly and civilian as he did to his own skill. Not wasting any time, Naruto heaved the old man over his shoulder and hid him behind the ovens, face down so any snoring wouldn't attract attention and relieved him of his key ring.

The Root Trainee then performed a quick _Henge_ and took up the tools of his new trade. He flicked the lights off behind him as he pushed the flimsy cart out of the door after storing the bucket and mop, locking it behind him as he went.

The hall he entered was well lit, in stark contrast to the rickety lighting afforded by his own dwelling area, and presented him with the immediate dilemna of which way to go first. Picking randomly, Naruto took a left, deciding that if he followed the wall to his left he would eventually eventually have a rough perimeter mapped. Mimicing the old man's shuffle would have wasted valuable time, thankfully the halls were mostly deserted, and Naruto had become so accustomed to this technique over the past three months that it was but a matter or thought to effortlessly slide into the gait this body was most accustomed to.

He used his heightened sense of smell to avoid areas that smelled of humans and after half an hour later and he thought he'd done all he could in this form. He had the perimeter, he'd even done most of the work for his fail safes, and he had avoided detection, but now came the difficult part. Locating a supply closet several meters off what looked and smelled like the entryway, Naruto paused, waiting for a crash of thunder open the door, in case the guard he could sense just around the corner decided to investigate. The air was warm in the stone hallways, so there had to be a vent system. He planned to use it to scout further and set his scrolls.

"Outta the fuckin' way, chump!" a loud, obnoxious voice sounded immediately after the the rolling boom of thunder faded away.

The unmistakeable sound of steel being drawn was heard next, and Naruto wondered if a brawl was about to break out right in the middle of the hall. He hoped so, it would make for marvelous cover. Those hopes were dashed however when the distinctive and crippled form of Danzo stepped into the hall from a different hall, from further into the base. The Root Trainee's blood ran cold. Naruto hadn't heard him, hadn't smelled him, hadn't sensed a presence, hadnt even known he was at the base. Naruto quickly supressed the fear out of habit more than any stirrings in the seal, nevertheless it was a startling reminder that at one point this man had wielded power near equal that to the Sandaime.

Remembering himself, Naruto fumbled for the keys -- and dropped them. He had good reason to be startled, as the nauseating scent of venom assaulted his nose just as one of the most feared nuke-nin ever to turn traitor stepped further into the hall, surrounded by five figures, four of whom were cloaked and hooded. Orochimaru himself looked identical to his picture in the Konoha Bingo Book, long black hair, skin the color of milk, with purple tattoos giving a reptilian cast to his yellow, slitted eyes, causing Naruto to wonder briefly at the ability of all of the Sannin to age so well before turning his attention to the sole remaining ninja, for it was unlikely that the robed figures were anything else, had her hood pushed back, revealing dark magenta hair under a strange cap framing a strong face and a dark scowl. It was likely that she was the one who had spoken.

Naruto dropped to grab the keys without missing a beat, examining the dangerous meeting out of the corner of his eye as Danzo, seemingly oblivious to his presence, presented a welcoming smile that stretched his scars into a gruesome mask, "Stand down, stand down," he said, waving the as yet unseen guard before turning to Orochimaru and his silent guards, "Orochimaru-san. It's been a long time. I'm glad you came. Come, we have much to discuss."

"Of course," the Snake Sannin all but purred as he stepped forward to Danzo's side, chuckling, his guards falling in behind him.

Just as they set out Orochimaru's venomous smile widened and one slitted eye caught Naruto's own.

The blond jinchuriki was completely stunned. The implications of what he'd just seen and heard a jumbled confusion in his mind. If Orochimaru and Danzo were working together, and they obviously atleast planned to talk, then the stakes had just skyrocketed. Konoha could be in deeper than Tsunade imagined. Naruto now had all the evidence he needed and more to accuse Danzo of treason.

He should get out right now and hightail it back to Konoha with this intel at once, but was it enough? Orochimaru had ferreted him out with ridiculous ease, much like Anko had at their first meeting... but Sannin or no, he still didn't know _who _Naruto was under the _henge_. And, Naruto slowly admitted to himself as he entered the supply closet at last, he wasn't done learning how to control the Kyuubi. He had made great strides under Tenzo to be sure, but it wasn't enough. Naruto wanted complete control of his emotions so that the demon fox could never exert its will over him again. This mission was of vital importance, both to Konoha and to him personally. He couldn't afford to abort it now.

Mind made up, and hoping he wasn't making a fatally stupid decision, he dropped the transformation and wormed into the heating vents, thankful for the gloves that protected his hands from the scalding metal. He moved silently, thankful for his small size in the hot, cramped space. Sweat soon soaked his face and chest but he moved on, searching each room and vent as he tried to mentally map his route. He was no cartographer, but his mind and senses were sharp and the map soon took shape. When ever he found an empty storage room he stopped to place one of Tsunade's summoning tags in an unobtrusive place, using his small bag of tools to open and close the vent grates.

All of his objectives were complete, yet he hadn't come across Orochimaru and Danzo yet. Naruto wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or upset at this. Of course it was pure foolishness to seek out S-ranked ninja and their undoubtedly skilled guards, but more information on their plans could seal the Hokage's victory. It didn't matter now, though as he hadn't found them. He resolved to get out and make his report when he heard the twisted Sannin's distinctive laughter echoing through the metal tunnels, seemingly nearby.

Silently cursing himself a fool, Naruto made an about face and followed his ears. Past a slowly whirring fan the vent turned forty-five degrees upward. Naruto crawled slowly up the incline as the sound of voices grew from the barest whisper to a low murmur. They were not in sight, but Naruto could hear their conversation through a grate in the floor of the room they occupied. The blond hadn't accounted for multiple levels and cursed his stupidity. Fortunately it couldn't be large, as Naruto had not seen any stairwells or heard anything from above until now.

Getting as close to the grate as he dared, the Demon Jailor strained his ears trying to catch the quiet conversation over the noise of the fan, closing his eyes so he could better concentrate. He didn't dare use chakra this close to the legendary ninja.

"... return... -able assistant-..." the former Hokage Candidate was asking in what Naruto thought was a questioning tone, "leave... me?

"... course. I... little... happens to... after... fun."

"... do if... are to... aid."

A pause, Naruto assumed Orochimaru had motioned, as Danzo's voice went on a second later and this he heard with absolute clarity, as Danzo's voice rose suddenly in volume and acidity.

"Kill Tsunade!"

Orochimaru's laughter filled the room and Naruto fought to push down a surge of white-hot rage at the crippled man. Having the Kyuubi rear up now would ensure his death. Still seething, Naruto took a risk and moved closer to the grate. He could see feet and the legs of a table on a thick carpet in the center of the room but litte else. The voices sounded more clearly too, and Naruto wondered if they were talking louder or if he was just that much more focused.

"And what of my old friend Jiraiya?" Orochimaru said, voice dripping with amusement.

"With the bitch hag and old man dead he won't have any reason to stick around. Or even live. Who knows, he may beg me to end his life!" Danzo chuckled at his own poor joke.

Orochimaru let out a small laugh that sounded condescending to Naruto's ears, but if the leader of Root noticed nothing was said or done. Naruto ignored Danzo's jibes, closing his eyes and descending into a light meditative trance.

"Very well then, Danzo, or should I say: Rokudaime-sama? I will fulfill my end of the bargain, but first I believe we should seal the deal with a mutual symbol of trust," the snake hissed. Naruto wondered if Orochimaru _always_ sounded like he knew a joke at your expense that you didn't and resolved to ask Jiraiya about it the next time he saw the Toad Hermit.

"I am amenable to such a thing. What did you have in mind?"

"I will give you five of my best warriors here under your command, including the last of Mist's Kaguya clan, to help coordinate movements. They are yours to use as you see fit, and are all excellently conditioned."

Danzo let out a pleased breath and asked Orochimaru to continue, "Yes, and what would you like from me? I have a number of men that you would find invaluable."

The nuke-nin released another of those unpleasant chuckles, "Really, Danzo, I have no use for your spies. No, I want something much simpler: the head of that spy lurking behind the wall. Yes, that will do nicely and prove you a competent ally."

_Shit!_

A white spear suddenly came crashing through the vent and skewered Naruto through the midsection before he could so much as blink. Pain exploded as he hacked up blood and his vision went dark.

Kimimaro spun and swept forward, the spear of bone disappearing into his palm as he knelt before his master, head bowed.

"Kage bunshin, Master. I did not see the spy's face before the clone was destroyed. I've failed-"

Orochimaru abruptly dismissed his most devoted servant, not bothering to listen to his groveling, and turned to his back to his potential ally, "Well it seems you have some searching to do, Danzo-san. I expect that head within a week. Please do not disappoint me," he spoke flippantly as he left the room and the seething traitor with ice cold eyes.

* * *

The memories hit Naruto like a fist to the gut and he nearly dropped the unconscious young man draped across his shoulder as he scaled the rain slick face of the cliff. He readjusted his grip on Sai before continuing towards the series of tunnels that led into the base far above. A quick examination of the memories the kage bunshin had imparted left his mind spinning. Calling upon his training, he walled himself into the here and now, focusing himself on the present task.

It had been over three hours since they'd begun the training exercise. Naruto usually finished inside of two. It turned out that the G3's had indeed decided to ambush them and rid themselves of potential competition, taking the decision out of the younger boys' hands. Such fighting for position was frowned upon but tolerated as a natural consequence of the training regimen by their superiors. They'd gotten Sai alone when he surfaced and managed to inflict a sharp blow to his head before the ink user managed to beat them back even without his drawing techniques. By that time Naruto had arrived and the two made short work of the pair of G3's. Only one of the weaker duos would bother trying to take out trainees from a lower generation.

Unfortunately Sai's head wound had proved more serious than they initially thought. The dark haired boy lost consciousness soon after and Naruto had to decide whether or not to let his teammate die or risk his life to save Sai's. After a short deliberation he'd decided to bring his partner and minder with him, lest he be assigned a new spy. The devil you know and such.

Deciding the storm had declined enough to not alter his course, the jinchuriki aimed for a high ledge, Naruto gathered his Wind chakra and leapt from ledge to ledge. Horizontal leaps of up to nearly fifteen meters were well within his range, even so burdened. The wind chakra leant speed and strength to his movements and soon he found himself inside a sheltered overhang with a welcoming party of instructors and other higher ranking members.

"G4 Root Trainees Zero-One and One-Nine. Three hours, sixteen minutes. Training complete."

"One second, Akihiko. Zero-One did not come in under his own power," one of the brutish G1's protested before stepping forward to confront Naruto.

"Trainee One-Nine, report," he barked sharply, heavy brows furrowed.

Naruto's face remained impassive as he thoroughly reported the entire episode from start to finish is crisp concise tones. The G1's were the least disciplined of all the Root members, a ill-fated attempt to make an army of bezerkers. They made excellent enforcers, but were known to have short tempers. Naruto did not want to rile up this giant of a man if he could help it. Atleast not with so many witnesses about.

"Giving assistance to the weak is for the weak. You should have left the trainee to die," he spared a sneering glance at Sai's unconscious form, "it doesn't look as if he will survive at any rate, and now you'll share his fate. Who is your commanding officer, runt?"

"That would be me," Tenzo said calmly from directly behind the large man.

Naruto didn't smile, but he did relax his posture a fraction, until Tenzo spoke again.

"It seems my subordinates have failed this test," he paused, unforgiving eyes taking them in and giving nothing in return, "But they yet live, an unusual occurrence. And they did best two trainees from a higher tier. Also unusual, if not exactly unexpected."

The big G1 had backed off quickly. Tenzo was one of the highest ranked ninja currently residing at the base and he had a reputation as someone not to be of the assembled full Root members eyed him with wary respect.

"I've decided," Tenzo went on after a moment, "Trainees Zero-One and One-Nine will assist on Mission #0692. That should temper them or reveal the fatal flaw in their make. Either way we will know. Akihiko! Ensure that they are properly briefed and provisioned."

"Yes, sir!" the bespectacled G2 responded promptly.

"One-Nine, take Zero-One to the medical facility then go rest. You depart in the morning at 0400. All of you are dismissed!"

* * *

A brief trip to the Med Center and Sai was on his feet, if a bit wobbly. The ninja working the center were not true Medic-nin, just those who had the necessary amount of chakra control to work medical jutsu, so there was no pampering or insisting that Sai stay and not over exert himself. The rain had just ceased falling when they walked out of the Med Center, which was near the center of the ravine, both vertically and horizontally. Akihiko was waiting for them and quickly handed them each a scroll before disappearing.

The two trainees walked back to their quarters, and Naruto was conscious of Sai shooting him glances. He ignored them, knowing his dark eyed partner was wondering why Naruto had saved him. It was almost unheard of, but the _jinchuriki _had a feeling that it would prove to be the right decision further down the line. Reaching their bunks, they crowded over a small desk with a lamp providing the only light in the room besides the stoked coals in the fireplace and poured over the scrolls.

When finished Naruto added a dry log to the fire and tossed the identical scrolls in and watched them burn in silence.

"So, Naruto," Sai asked quietly, they didn't refer to each other by their number designations, only the instructors and superiors did that, "ever been to Wave Country?"

* * *

Oh yes, Wave Mission cometh! But it's not what you think, not at all. I think you'll like it, cause its going to be a ride. This chapter was a long time in coming and it's my longest one yet. You might have to reread a bit to remember what the heck is going on. From what I've outlined the next two or three chapters will be a third again as big: over 20,000 words. I don't think you'll have to wait so long for the next one, but I've said that before. Give me your opinions. If there are some typing errors I apologize. I'm my own Beta and you can see for yourself how that's working out for me.

Next chapter: A _lot _more Naruto. A look in to see how Team 12 is faring and a bit of a surprise for our ladies. Should also find out what happened to Hinata and why. The Chuunin Exams are coming, so we'll get to see some fun battles, but not too many because they aren't _that_ important.

Thanks to LT2000, Stalicon, and Moela for your help with the first part of the chapter. Visit and sign up for more discussion on Naruto Fan fiction!

Review my darlings, review. Tell me what I can improve on. How's my characterization? Is it consistent? What about descriptions? Flow? All that.

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